The Four of Prophecy
by jahacopo2221
Summary: HPSS. Harry's daughter, Lilian, comes to Hogwarts. The catch is that nobody has seen Harry in nearly twelve years. Mild SLASH,MPREG. Rated M to be safe! This story is being adopted! See my profile for more info!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything that takes place in any of the eight books by J.K. Rowling that are out so far. Unfortunately. Some of the characters and most of the events in this story, have been invented by me however.

Chapter One: Prophecy Revealed

Severus Snape swept his onyx eyes around the Great Hall, as all the students filed in for the Welcoming Feast. 'Another year of dealing with dunderheads who probably couldn't tell the difference between Polyjuice and Draught of Living Death, even if you poured the stuff down their throats.' He made sure his customary sneer was in place, even though it really was second nature by now. The doors to the Great Hall opened once more and Minerva McGonagall entered leading the first years.

Severus briefly glanced over them, mentally calculating who would possibly go to Slytherin, and who would be the easiest to intimidate. He picked out four or five instantaneously that he knew would be prime targets. 'Hufflepuffs, for sure.' he thought. His eyes caught on a rather small girl, who was brimming with so much excitement she was practically bouncing. In fact, she was waving at somebody.

'Probably has a brother or sister here' he thought. But then he observed, she wasn't waving at the student tables, but at the Head table instead. He looked down the row at his colleagues, trying to match up the direction the child was waving at. 'Though,' he thought to himself, 'I don't know why I care who the brat is waving to. But there is something about the girl that reminds me of someone.'

He stole another glance at the girl, who was still waving and now was mouthing something as well. He looked back at the Head Table and saw Poppy Pomfrey waving back at the child. 'Ah, she was saying 'Aunt Poppy''. Mystery solved, Severus turned his attention back to the Sorting, which was just about to begin, the infernal hat having finished it inane song.

Midway through the sorting, there certainly had been some surprises. The Malfoy girl—which in itself had been a surprise, as Malfoys hadn't had a female child in the line for centuries, and certainly had never had one as the firstborn—had gotten sorted into Gryffindor. 'Must be due to the mother' Severus mused to himself. Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley had shocked almost everyone when they announced their elopement almost twelve years ago. She was already pregnant with the child Sorted here today, and would bring another five more heirs to the Malfoy fortune into the world. Another Malfoy first, having more than one heir.

The next major surprise had come when Stella Longbottom was sorted into Slytherin. The child of Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood was a Slytherin! Severus could feel a migraine coming on. 'Please, just please let her have some of her mother's sense in Potions', he thought. He didn't really think he could deal with someone of Neville's caliber in his house, it would be too difficult to refrain from yelling and removing House points. Yes, even though the War against Voldemort was over and Severus no longer had to favor the children of Death Eaters to maintain his facade, he found that many of the other teachers still were prejudiced against his little snakes, so he kept on favoring them, though he was more fair to the other houses. Just then a name was called that shook him out of his musings on the surprises the Sorting had offered so far.

"Potter, Lilian" Professor McGonagall called out.

Severus whipped his head around so fast, it was a miracle he didn't give himself whiplash. His eyes narrowed as the girl who had caught his attention earlier skipped up to the stool. Now, he could observe the girl more closely, without seeming to, because the entire hall was doing the same thing. Severus could hear the whispers. "Is that Harry Potter's daughter?" "Do you think she's related to _the_ Harry Potter?" and on and on in the same vein.

The girl currently climbing on the stool, at first glance, didn't resemble Harry Potter at all, and one could be forgiven for believing it a coincidence that another family with the name of Potter had magic in the blood. But then when the Sorting Hat was placed on her head, he caught sight of something that made him realize that this was Harry Potter's daughter. It was just a small gesture, a habit really, that unless you knew Harry well, you wouldn't be able to connect the two. The child, once the Hat was placed on her head, seemed to be having an intense mental conversation with the Hat, and as she was thinking, she sucked in her lower lip and bit down slightly, while her eyebrows furrowed together. Severus recognized it instantly, having seen the same habit from her father many times before.

He wondered who her mother was. He examined the girl more closely, trying to decipher her ancestry through looks and behavior. He also examined his memory, trying to see if there had been any girls who Harry had been with. But try as he might, his mind hit a block. 'Of course you can't think of any girls he might have been with at that time,' he berated himself, 'you thought that he was with you.' Harry's abrupt departure from his life had cut him deeply, and it had taken him many months to recover, and now sitting on a stool not four feet away, was a living breathing reminder of Harry.

More to the point, this child would have been conceived almost twelve years ago, right about the time Harry left. So, if Severus calculated correctly, Harry had either been cheating on him before he left with his girlfriend/wife/whatever, or he had gotten with the whatever right after he left Severus and the Wizarding world altogether. Either way, cut deeply. Wounds that Severus thought were long ago healed, ripped open as if freshly cut. He could literally feel his heart bleeding.

Since his memory obviously wouldn't be of any assistance, he started to use his powers of observation. He desperately wanted to know whom Harry had left him for. The girl was rather small, but then again, her father had pretty much topped out at five feet ten inches. 'And she's only eleven,' he reminded himself. Her hair was a rather nondescript color, hovering between dark blonde and light brown. Rather odd, considering her father's inky black tresses of which Severus could almost feel the silkiness between his fingers. 'Enough!' he chastised himself. She did have Harry's nose and mouth, and the shape of her eyes was handed down to her from her namesake, Lily Evans Potter.

The color of her eyes though, was not the same sparkling emerald green that her father and late grandmother shared. No, her eyes, were a crystal clear shade of blue. It was almost familiar to Severus, he racked his brain as to where he had seen eyes that shade of blue before. It came to him in a flash—the Headmaster! Albus Dumbledore's eyes were exactly the same color of Lilian Potter's eyes. Brushing that aside as coincidence, Severus started to move on, but was interrupted by the Sorting Hat shouting out (finally!) a house for young Miss Potter.

"RAVENCLAW!" the Hat shouted with finality. Lilian heaved a sigh of relief, and clambered down to go sit with her housemates.

'Relieved to be in Ravenclaw? I would have thought that any child of Potter's would have been destined for Gryffindor, and would have been ecstatic to go there.' Obviously there was more than meets the eye, regarding young Lilian.

The next few first years were all sorted quickly—as opposed to the amount of time it took to sort Potter's daughter—and finally, there were just three first years left. Severus took a look at who was left and inwardly groaned. Two little red heads with bushy hair, one with warm chocolate brown eyes, the other with calm blue eyes, peered up at him. They looked like little angels standing there, but Severus knew better. They were the new generation's Weasley twins, and they had grown up in the castle, with their mother Hermione Weasley _nee_ Granger as the Muggle Studies professor, and their father Ronald Weasley as the flying instructor. They were also his godchildren. He and the Weasleys had grown close through Harry, and then after he was gone and presumed by most to be dead, save for Severus and Hermione and Ron--they had grown closer still. Severus snuck a look down at the Weasleys to see if he could discern their reaction to the sorting that had taken place fifteen minutes ago. They looked like he felt, he supposed. To put it bluntly they looked shell-shocked, but Hermione at least, appeared to be trying to pull herself together, to watch her children's sorting.

"Weasley, Molli-Anne" the Hat called out. The redhead with brown eyes separated herself from her twin and sat on the stool calmly. Almost instantaneously, the Hat cried out, "RAVENCLAW!" Molli-Anne removed the Hat and turned around, flashed her parents and godfather a blinding smile and went and sat next to Lilian Potter. She had many questions for the girl, whose father she had heard so much about!

"Weasley, Orion" was barked out by the Hat. The blue-eyed child ran up to the stool, the exact opposite of his (seemingly) more reserved sister. Severus closely watched this sorting, almost as closely as he'd watched Lilian Potter's. He had a feeling about Orion and he had bet the boys parents as to which house he'd end up in.

FLASHBACK...EARLIER IN THE DAY 

"I'm telling you my son will not be in Slytherin!" Ron exclaimed.

"And, I'm telling you that he will be. He is one of the most cunning and ambitious people I've ever met. He's like his uncles Fred and George, but with the brains and ability not to get caught perpetrating his pranks. Orion is destined to be one of my snakes!" Severus retorted.

"There has not been a Weasley in Slytherin, ever!" Ron said.

"Nor, has a Weasley not been sorted into Gryffindor in hundreds of years, I know. But mark my words, Orion will be a Slytherin, and if I'm not much mistaken, Molli-Anne won't be a Gryffindor, either. Would you care to place a bet?" Severus offered.

"One galleon says that Orion is not a Slytherin, and two galleons says that both of my kids end up in Gryffindor."

END FLASHBACK 

'Well, so far I've earned two galleons, due to Molli-Anne being in Ravenclaw, lets see where Orion ends up' Severus mused.

The Hat barely touched the boy's head, in a scene reminiscent of Draco Malfoy's sorting almost twenty years ago, before it shouted out, "SLYTHERIN".

The Great Hall was in an uproar. A Weasley in Slytherin? It was unheard of! The professors at the Head Table were looking at each other in shock, except for Hermione Weasley, who was trying to revive her husband after he fainted, and Severus Snape, who expected the outcome all along. He quickly sent a look of approval over to where his godson was sitting with all the other first year Slytherins.

In the commotion, nobody paid much attention as young Violet Zabini was sorted into Hufflepuff.

But there was more yet to come, as the Hat appeared to be demanding an audience with the Headmaster. Albus Dumbledore put the Hat on his head and had a short conversation with the Hat, which he stopped in the middle of to ask Professor McGonagall for some parchment and a quill. He resumed his conversation, all the while scratching down information on the parchment. He then removed the Hat and asked for everybody's attention.

"As you all know, this school was founded by the four greatest witches and wizards of their time. Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, and Rowena Ravenclaw, each had certain qualities that they looked for in their students. Which, as you all know, is why the Sorting Hat sorts you into the House where you'd most fit in. Now, it has happened from time to time, where a student could do equally well in two houses, and so is in a sense given the option to choose their house—I believe the last time that happened was when young Harry Potter could have been sorted into either Slytherin or Gryffindor, and he chose the House of his parents, Gryffindor. Very rarely, there comes a child who could do well in three of the four houses. In fact, I can't recall the last time that happened, but I believe it was about four hundred years ago.

Now, as I was just informed by the Sorting Hat, the four founders came across a prophecy when they were deciding to build the school. Unfortunately, the exact words are lost to history, but it told of four young people, who would come to Hogwarts at the same time, and all four would sort equally well into any of the four houses---you can see how rare this would be, if the last time _one_ student fit into _three_ houses was four hundred years ago, and now there are _four_ children who could belong to _any _house. These children, none of whom would sort into the house of their father, would need to be brought together, as they will be the light the wizarding world seeks when the Dark tries to rear its head again. As such, upon finding this prophecy, the four founders instructed the sorting hat to sort these four children into the house that they are the true magical heir of, and then upon completion of the Sorting, speak with the Headmaster or Headmistress, reveal the prophecy, and the creation of a new house just for the heirs of the founders. These four children are essentially the heirs to Hogwarts and as such are entitled to be taught here free of charge, housed in their own tower—which Hogwarts had already created, but hidden until the four heirs appeared---and taught that which they need to know to prevent the Dark from rising.

"I know that it seems an awful burden to put upon shoulders so young, but upon hearing the names of these children, I think you'll agree that our future will be secure in their hands when the time comes. They all come from families that have a history of fighting for the light, even though in some it is a rather recent history, their predecessors were some of the best witches and wizards the world has ever seen.

"These children will be part of what the Founders termed 'Merlin's House', however, as there are only and will only ever be these four, for classes, points, and Quidditch, they will be classed as member's of the house that they are heir to.

"Now I'm sure you are all wondering who these four children are, except perhaps, the four in question, as I'm sure they were told a bit by the Hat as they were sorted. As I call your name, please come to the front of the Great Hall."

"Serena Malfoy, of Gryffindor!"

"Stella Longbottom, of Slytherin!"

"Violet Zabini, of Hufflepuff!"

"Lilian Potter, of Ravenclaw!"

"These four young women are the heirs to Hogwarts. Neither this castle nor I will stand for any of them being given a hard time. It does not matter if you don't think their family name belongs in your house or not. They are in the house to which they are the magical heir, so in a sense, they belong in that house more than anyone else there. Treat them with respect, but do not ostracize them. They are just like all the other first year children here, but with a bit more responsibility. That is all. Ladies, you may return to you seats, and everyone may now tuck in!"

With that everyone dug into the marvelous feast that was prepared, most dismissing thoughts of the prophecy and Merlin House as inconsequential in their lives. Except, of course, the four concerned.

Later that evening, after all the children had gone to bed, and after his rounds of the castle were complete, Severus lay in bed thinking about the Feast. It had certainly been full of many surprises. Perhaps the least surprising thing was finding out that yet another Potter was a central figure in a prophecy that would determine the fate of the world. 'Bet Potter has a fit when he finds out,' he thought, knowing how Harry had felt about his own prophecy.

_**FLASHBACK...12 years ago...**_

"I have to do it, Sev, I'm the only one that can," Harry quietly told his lover.

"What do you mean, 'you're the only one that can?' Harry, we'll all be there alongside you. It could be any one of us that ends up striking the fatal blow. I know that most of the Wizarding world expects you to be the one, but that's just because of the whole 'Boy-Who-Lived' thing. It'll probably end up being Dumbledore that'll end this whole mess." Severus tried to reassure his young lover.

"No, Severus, there was a prophecy.." Severus then interrupted Harry.

"So, there really is a prophecy? The Dark Lord sometimes mentioned something about a prophecy, but I never learned more than the fact that he was looking for the exact wording."

"Yes, Albus told me what it was the night that Sirius was killed in the Department of Mysteries. It was what Voldemort was after when he sent the Death Eaters there. I'm going to tell you, so then you'll understand. Trelawny predicted it some 18 and a half years ago, before I was born. It goes like this, 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...' There were two babies born at the end of July 1980 to wizarding couples, that fit the requirement of having 'thrice defied' Voldemort.

"One couple was the Longbottoms, and the other couple was my parents. Neville was born on the 30th of July, and as you know, I was born on the 31st. Both of us could have been the prophecy child, until Voldemort wrecked my life. He was the one that ultimately made the prophecy about me, by giving me this scar, he 'marked me as his equal', and made me the only one that could kill him.

"I don't know how to do it though, Sev, and I'm scared. I'm scared for you, and Ron, and Hermione. I'm scared for the Weasleys, and Hagrid, and Remus. I'm scared for Albus, Minerva, and the rest of the professors. I'm scared for Hogwarts. I'm scared for the whole Wizarding world. But most of all, I'm scared for me. There's nothing special about me besides this scar. How can I rid the world of this monster? How can people expect this of me? I'm only eighteen years old, and I have the fate of the entire world on my shoulders." Harry broke down sobbing.

Severus tenderly gathered Harry in his arms, rocking him, and rubbing his back with one hand, as the other carded through the silky black hair. "Shhh, its alright Harry. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. And I'm not going to let you die, so it will have to be Voldemort that gets killed. Its as simple as that."


	2. 2: Lilian's First Day Potions

Disclaimer: Same as before, I make no claim to anything owned by J.K. Rowling.

A/N: And the muse strikes again—this time it happened whilst I was babysitting, and I have just returned from said babysitting duty and am compelled to type up and submit what I scribbled down as I watched Baby Einstein and Elmo.

Chapter Two: Lilian's First Day—Potions

Lilian Potter woke up in her room in Merlin's tower the next day. Apparently, the Founders had decreed that since there would only ever be four students there, and since they were in a sense, 'the chosen ones', that each student would have her own room, done in the colors of the House she was heir to. Lilian didn't mind, as she was rather partial to the color blue, which was associated with Ravenclaw. Lilian thought it was a peaceful, soothing color, more conducive to studying and meditation, than the Gryffindor red her Dad favored.

As Lilian's thoughts turned to her Dad, she realized she forgot to send him a letter last night like she had promised to do. She noticed that her Dad had seemed really nervous for her, when he had dropped her off at Kings Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express. Lilian knew it was because of who he was, and that he was afraid she'd be treated differently as 'Harry Potter's daughter.' Her Dad had separated himself from the Wizarding world not too long before she was born. He had never told her why exactly, except that it had to do with her, and how he wanted a 'normal' life for her. Lilian secretly thought there was more to it. Lilian hypothesized that her Dad had been in a Great Love Affair and that his heart had been tragically broken. For all that she was an analytical Ravenclaw, Lilian had a passionate romantic side, which she thought she got from her Dad.

'Aagh,' she thought. 'Still need to send a letter to Dad.' Lilian was slightly amazed that her Dad hadn't stormed the gates of the castle when she hadn't written. But maybe he remembered what the first night of first year was like. Though, Lilian knew her first night was crazier than her father's. How to tell her doting father that she wasn't going to have the normal life that he wished for her? The normal life that he wanted so badly for her, that he gave up on his own life with his friends and his world, so she could have all that he wanted for her, and now, turns out, it wasn't ever even a possibility. Lilian herself wasn't worried. She thought she'd be able to have tons of exciting adventures, just like her Dad did. 'Okay,' she thought, 'letter time. I just won't mention the whole Merlin House/prophecy thing.'

Lilian got out of bed and threw on her dressing gown and slippers as she padded across the room to sit at her desk. Getting a piece of parchment, and her favorite ink and quill, she commenced with writing her Dad the overdue letter.

_Dear Dad,_

_Sorry this letter is late. Last night was so amazing. Everything is just like you described. The ceiling in the Great Hall was so neat looking. Professor Hagrid took us across the lake in these little boats. There were three other girls in the boat with me. Serena Malfoy, Stella Longbottom, and Molli-Anne Weasley. They're all really nice girls. Once we got to the school, Professor McGonagall met us, and she gave the same speech that you said she would!_

_Then we were taken into the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat sang a song about the Founders and their Houses. Finally, the Sorting began. My new friend, Stella, was sorted into Slytherin House. Professor Snape, the Head of House for Slytherin, looked like a cross between being angry and being kind of nervous or wary. It was an interesting look. Pretty much the rest of the time, he was scowling (except for when he heard my name—he looked surprised for a little bit.) Was he here when you were here? He must've been, but he's the only one of the teachers here that you never mentioned. _

_Anyway, then, one of my other new friends, Serena Malfoy was sorted into Gryffindor. She was really excited; I gather her mother was a Gryffindor. Then it was my turn. Dad, the Hat took a bit of time Sorting me, but it eventually put me where I knew I'd end up. Now, Daddy, I know part of you was hoping I'd end up in Gryffindor, like you, but really Dad, you know as well as I do that I really and truly am a Ravenclaw! And the Hat agreed! _

_My other friend, Molli-Anne, was Sorted after me. Turns out she has a twin brother named Orion, and her parents are professors here. Her mum is your friend Hermione (Professor Weasley to us students) and she teaches Muggle Studies. Her dad is your other friend, Ron (Mister Weasley to the students), and he is the flying instructor. There was a huge commotion when Orion was Sorted, because he got Sorted into Slytherin. According to Molli-Anne, she was the first Weasley not in Gryffindor in like five hundred years, when she got sorted into Ravenclaw, like me, but her brother is the first Weasley in Syltherin, EVER! Molli-Anne says that her godfather always said that Orion was a true Slytherin. Her godfather is Professor Snape. She told me that you were supposed to be the twins' other godparent._

_Of course, Molli-Anne asked me loads of questions about you, but I did my best to respect your privacy, and only told her enough to satisfy some of her curiosity. She told me that everyone in the Wizarding world thought you were dead, but that her parents never gave up hope._

_Well, Dad, I think this letter is long enough, and hopefully, the length will make up for its tardiness. I think its time to head to the Great Hall for breakfast, and onward to my first day of classes!_

_Love,_

_Lilian_

_P.S. Don't worry about me. I'm still 'keeping up appearances!'_

Lilian quickly rolled the parchment and went over to her owl's cage.

"Here, Artemis. Take this to Dad please, and say 'hello' to Hedwig for me."

With that, the snowy owl, a daughter of Hedwig's, took to the skies and flew off towards the Potter family home.

Lilian quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, and ran a brush through her hair. She carefully examined herself in the mirror, and once satisfied that all was as it should be, she ran down the stairs.

She came across none of the other three girls in Merlin House, so she decided to head to the Great Hall on her own for breakfast. She walked into the Great Hall and over to the Ravenclaw table, where she was relieved to find that Molli-Anne had saved her a seat. She gratefully sat down next to her new friend and started piling eggs and bacon on her plate.

A few minutes later, the Head of Ravenclaw, Professor Flitwick, came to the table to start passing out the schedules for this year. Lilian quickly perused her schedule and was delighted that she had a double period of her favorite subject first thing in the morning.

"Oooh, look! We have Double Potions with the Slytherins this morning!" She exclaimed.

"With the Slytherins? But Dad always told me that Gryffindors were paired with Slytherins for Potions classes." Molli-Anne whined.

At that, one of the fifth year prefects spoke up. "It's definitely a break from tradition, but rumor has it, that the change was requested by Professor Snape, so that he could preserve his sanity. I personally don't blame the man. Slytherins and Gryffindors tend to be like oil and water, in that they don't mix well together. Can't imagine what its been like to deal with that combination for the past thirty years, especially in the Potions lab. So many things could go wrong, it must be exhausting trying to oversee them."

Another prefect, this one a seventh year Ravenclaw, entered the conversation. "It makes more sense this way. We Ravenclaws are intelligent enough to be able to correct any 'mistakes' that find their way into our caldrons from the Slytherins. Although, Slytherins, don't tend to bother with us too often, as they know we can research _unique_ methods of revenge. Mixing Gryffs with Hufflepuffs is much less volatile. The 'Puffs just want to get along with everybody, and they allow Slytherin to treat them horribly, but the Gryffs are too noble."

While this chatter was carrying on around her, Lilian slipped into her thoughts. She couldn't wait for Potions class. Ever since she was a small child, she loved reading books on Potions from her Dad's library, and she'd dreamt of the day when she'd be allowed to brew the exotic poisons and healing medications she's read about. To have the capability of bringing into creation that which would kill a man, and also brewing the means to save him, it was an exhilarating feeling. Power over life and death was definitely awe-inspiring. Lilian couldn't wait. She'd practically memorized her first-year Potions book by the time she was seven, and now was working on memorizing the NEWT level books.

"Molli-Anne, are you ready to go to Potions?" Lilian queried her red-haired friend.

"Yep. Always ready to learn Lilian!" She replied.

"Oh, call me Lily. Its what my Dad calls me."

"Sure thing, Lily. You can call me Emma."

"Emma? Where's that come from?" Lily questioned.

"My initials—M.A. People got tired of calling Molli-Anne, and plus neither Orion nor I could say it properly, so they shortened it to my initials, and somebody noticed that when they're run together, it sounded like Emma."

"But why not shorten your name to Molli or Anne?" Lily asked.

"Because my Gramma Weasley's name is Molly, and my Grandma Granger's name is Anne. It'd be too confusing, especially in a family as big as mine." Emma replied.

"Ooh! We're here! I'm so excited! I've been looking forward to Potions class for ages! Its my favorite subject to study back home." Lily was practically bouncing as she stood outside the door to the Potions class.

Neither girl had noticed the door to the room open during Lily's little speech, so they didn't see Severus's eyebrow rise when hearing the Potter girl profess a love for Potions.

'Well, she's certainly not like her father then,' he thought. He had no way of knowing how right—and how wrong that thought was.

"Good morning, Professor Snape," piped a voice from behind the girls. It was Emma's brother Orion.

"Good morning Mister Weasley, Miss Weasley, Miss Potter. Everyone come in quickly and find your seats."

Being the eager Ravenclaws that they were, Emma and Lily dashed for a desk in the front of the class, whilst Orion strolled more leisurely to sit behind them with Stella Longbottom. The rest of the students filed in quickly, but quietly. They had already heard much about the legendary wrath of Professor Snape and none wanted to tempt fate on their first day.

Once all the children were in the room, and settled at desks in pairs, and attendance had been taken, Severus commenced on his first-year speech. The same speech that he gave on the first day to every first year class for as long as he could remember.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Severus's eyes swept around his classroom as he spoke. Most of the children looked terrified of him. A few looked intrigued, including Miss Longbottom. 'Interesting,' he thought. His godchildren, imps that they were, merely smiled at him. But his eyes kept being drawn back to Harry's daughter. Her eyes looked up at him as if he was her hero, and she looked as if she could barely contain her excitement.

'She's behaving about Potions as her father behaved about Quidditch,' he thought to himself with a snort. 'Wonder where that comes from...Well might as well see how much she knows.'

"Ah, Miss Potter, let's see how much like your father you are. He couldn't be bothered with opening a Potions book, even if it was to save his life." Severus sneered down at the girl. The look was soon replaced with mild shock as the girl quietly laughed.

"No sir, Professor Snape, I'm not like my father in that respect. I love Potions, but he absolutely detests the subject. Its the one area that he's never been able to help me much with, as I'm afraid I bypassed his understanding of the subject about two years ago." Lily answered with a rueful smile, as she thought about her Dad and Potions.

"Let's see, shall we? Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Lily promptly replied, "You would get quite a powerful sleeping potion, more commonly known as the Draught of Living Death."

"Do you perhaps know where to look, if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat. Assuming you didn't want me to actually look in the stomach of a goat for you, I'd hazard a guess that you have some bezoars stocked in the cupboard, as they are capable of saving a person from most poisons, and any intelligent brewer would have some on hand in case of accident. Particularly when dealing with novices, such as students, or as you termed us, 'dunderheads'." Lily calmly replied.

Severus was amazed. Not many adults were willing to match wits with the fearsome Potions Master, but here was this eleven year old, not only holding her own, but giving some back at him.

"Very good answer, Miss Potter. Perhaps those questions were too easy? Can you tell me the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Lily paused for a moment before answering, "No sir. I cannot."

"Oh, don't know the answer? A pity, I thought you might actually be slightly more intelligent than your father."

Lily retorted, "I cannot tell you the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane, because there isn't one. Its the same plant, also known as aconite, and is a major component in the Wolfsbane Potion, that allows werewolves the ability to keep their human mind the night of the full moon."

Severus was beyond amazed now. He was floored by this small sprite sitting in front of him, her crystal blue eyes blazing with passion-'so similar to her father's' the thought in passing-and her confidence in the manner she spoke about his beloved subject. He had yet to come across a first year that knew about the Wolfsbane Potion, as it was normally covered during the NEWT years. He decided he wanted to test the girl, but in the meantime needed something to occupy the rest of the first years, who were looking around at each other, to see if anybody else knew what Lily had been talking about.

"Were we supposed to know that stuff already?" Orion whispered up to his twin sister.

"No. Especially not that last bit, it's not in our book." Emma replied, looking over at her new friend in awe.

"I want all of you to take notes on the first chapter in your book. There may be a quiz, next class, and addition you should all revise the boil-curing potion that is in the second chapter. We will be preparing it next class, and I will be testing the potions you brew on you. I am going to my office now, but I will be casting a Monitoring charm on this classroom. I will know if you are doing as you're told. Miss Potter, if you could please follow me." With that Severus Snape swept out of his classroom, black robes billowing behind him furiously. Lily Potter followed him gracefully.

"Miss Potter, you are not in trouble. It is rare that I have a student coming into the class already possessing a wealth of knowledge on Potions, and I simply want to test you to see what level you're at. It would have done no good to continue in front of the class. Most of them were already lost, after your first answer. I have no need to confuse further those dunderheads that are your classmates." Severus quietly told the girl.

"Yes sir. Sir, are you going to test me on knowledge or on practical application?"

"First, I will test you on your knowledge. If I am sufficiently satisfied that you have a good grasp on that, then we will move to practical."

"When brewing a Shrinking Solution, how should the shrivelfigs be prepared?"

"They should be skinned, sir." Lily replied.

"And how many rat spleens are required in that particular potion?"

"Just one sir."

Severus decided to ask the girl about a potion not in any of the school textbooks.

"Can you tell me about the ingredients required for the Polyjuice Potion?"

"Yes sir, it requires lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, knotgrass, powdered horn of a bicorn, shredded skin of a boomslang, and a bit of whomever you're going to change into."

Severus was almost itching with excitement. This girl, this small child of Harry Potter's, could be the child he had been waiting for, to make teaching worthwhile. The last thing to do would be a practical test. He decided to set her a simple potion, since it was really all about seeing how she prepared her ingredients and mixed them that was important, not the complexity. If the basics were already mastered, the rest was easy to do. He told her to start preparing the boil-curing potion that the rest of the class would attempt next period. He watched as she weighed the dried nettles, crushed the snake fangs, and stewed the horned slugs with an almost effortless grace. When she mixed all the ingredients in the proper way, and brewed the potion perfectly without even looking at the instructions, he knew. As a Potions Master, it was almost a duty of his to take an Apprentice and teach them the craft, yet he had never done so. He had his reasons, first there was Voldemort, then he was wallowing in his grief after Harry left him, then he could never find a student talented enough. He saw past that now, and realized there was no Voldemort any longer, he had finally gotten over Harry (or so he told himself), and he now had a student more than capable of being his Apprentice. He would speak to the Headmaster about apprenticing Miss Potter to himself.

He stalked back into his classroom, Lily following him, just as the bell rang. "Class dismissed. Twenty points to Ravenclaw for Miss Potter's forethought in being prepared."

A/N: Severus's whole first year speech, and the questions about bezoars, the Draught of the Living Death, and monkshood/wolfsbane, along with the answers comes from Chapter Eight, 'The Potions Master' of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, pages 136-139 of the paperback edition. Information on Polyjuice Potion comes from Page 165 of the American hardcover edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. All strictly belongs to J.K. Rowling, and I am making no claim whatsoever, just borrowing the information.


	3. 3: Serena's First Day Transfiguration

A/N: Wow...sorry for taking so long to update, but I needed to get my thoughts organized on this story and also my other story, 'For the Love of Harry'. I think right now, I'm putting that story on hold, as I try to figure out how to work in my next plot bunny, but hopefully it won't be too much longer on that one. As for this one, the clues are there for people who look carefully enough, to see where I'm headed. Like I said before, this was originally supposed to be a one to two chapter story, and it has just spun right out of control into a story that's threatening to become novel-length. As such, since this story has given me so many good ideas, and become such a big part of my life, I am going to take my time writing it, and try and do the story the justice that I feel it deserves. Okay, rant over with; I'd like to thank all those who took the time to review and also those that sent me private messages. Your words of encouragement mean more than you'll ever know. Now, on with the story!

Chapter 3: Serena's First Day- Transfiguration

Serena Malfoy woke up in her room in Merlin House and stretched languidly like a cat, as she looked around her room. Overall, she was quite pleased with herself, and she felt certain that her mum and dad would be happy as well. Her mum would be happy that she was carrying on the Weasley family tradition and was in Gryffindor, unlike her two cousins—honestly, a Weasley in Slytherin? She shuddered thinking about her dad's reaction to that news. He probably would be giving Uncle Ron a hard time for the foreseeable future. Her dad, while probably not thrilled with her being in Gryffindor, would at least be mollified by the fact that she was a 'chosen one' and was part of Merlin House.

Serena quickly mulled over last night's events. She had been so excited to be finally going to Hogwarts, having heard so much about it from her parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Her cousins, Orion and Emma, were just as excited as she was, even though they had practically grown up in the castle, with their parents and godfather teaching there. It was really funny how interconnected their families were. The twins godfather was her own father's godfather as well, and she really considered him as her paternal grandfather, just as her dad considered him as his own father, having declared independence from Lucius Malfoy and joined the side of the light in his sixth year.

Serena knew her mum was the person responsible for her dad's salvation. Her mum was one of the nicest people in the world, but she could be fierce about something she put her mind towards, and she had put her mind towards saving Draco Malfoy.

Once she arrived at Hogsmeade Station, she gathered around Hagrid, along with all the other first years. She quickly spotted her cousin, Emma, standing with a couple of other girls, who looked just as awed as her at the sight of the half-giant. Emma, having known Hagrid her whole life, was telling the other two girls all about him and the school in general.

"Oh, Serena," her cousin called out to her. "I'd like you to meet Stella Longbottom, and Lilian Potter."

Upon hearing the name Potter, Serena's eyes got wide, and she started to ask a question, but was cut off by Hagrid telling them all to get into the little boats.

With a shared look, the four girls promptly got into the same boat, and eagerly awaited their trip across the lake. In the meantime, Serena remembered her manners, and completed the introductions her erstwhile cousin had started. 'Honestly, for such a brainiac, she sure is flighty sometimes,' she thought.

"Stella, it's been a long time since I've seen you, I almost didn't recognize you. I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Serena Malfoy, and our mothers, I believe, are friends? They took us on some play dates when we were younger, before my dad decided I needed a private tutor, so I could be brought up befitting a Malfoy." She said this last part in a dead-on imitation of Draco Malfoy's haughty voice, but the mischievous twinkle in her gray eyes let the others know what she thought about that.

"Of course, I remember you, Serena. My mum still talks with your mum a lot, and I've often heard them comparing notes on the two of us. Of course, I was supposed to be up in my room cleaning, but when I heard my name, naturally I had to investigate, even if it meant eavesdropping." Stella Longbottom answered with a sly look on her face.

Serena remembered Emma laughing at that. "Merlin, you remind me of my brother, Orion. I bet you're in Slytherin, just like Uncle Severus says he will."

With that, the four girls set to trying to work out which house each would be in. They all agreed that Emma was destined to be a Ravenclaw, and Serena would probably be either a Gryffindor or a Slytherin, Stella oddly enough, would either be a Slytherin or a Hufflepuff, and Lilian, they thought would most likely be a Ravenclaw, but Gryffindor or Slytherin would be strong possibilities as well.

Before they realized it, they were at the school, greeted by Professor McGonagall, and shepherded into the Great Hall, and then Sorted. Serena was pretty pleased with how the Sorting had gone, not only for herself, but her cousin and new friends as well. The prophecy and Merlin House had come as a bit of a shock, but as a true Malfoy, she took it all in stride.

Serena heard footsteps on the stairs, then the door to the common room opened and quickly shut. She stole a quick glance at her watch, and almost swore in a manner that would do Uncle George and Uncle Fred proud. If she didn't hurry, she'd miss breakfast. She hurriedly threw her clothes on, and bounded down the stairs to grab a quick bite, and her class schedule.

When she arrived in the Great Hall, she noted that it was almost completely empty, save for a few stragglers, hurriedly finishing their meal. She ran down to the Gryffindor table, grabbed a muffin and a banana and stuffed them in her bag, before running up to the Head Table to see her Head of House for her schedule. She spared a few seconds to wave at her Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, and was pleased to note that Remus Lupin was at the table, looking cheerful, but tired from last night's full moon.

She stepped up to Professor McGonagall, and asked her politely for her schedule. Professor McGonagall handed it over, but not without lecturing her about punctuality and being the Gryffindor representative in Merlin House. She nodded her understanding at what her Head of House told her, and looked down at her schedule. She was pleased to note that she had Transfiguration first this morning. Her dad had said that next to Potions, Transfiguration was his favorite class, and that Professor McGonagall was 'remarkably fair for a Gryffindor'. She and her mum always rolled their eyes when he said something like that.

She sat down quickly, to eat her hastily grabbed meal, and peruse her schedule at the same time. When she was finished with her muffin, she went to reach for a glass of milk or juice to wash it down, but her hand met nothing but air. Frowning, she looked up, and noticed that the House Elves had cleared away most of the breakfast from the tables. Without really thinking about what she was doing, she held out her hand with her wand pointed at a napkin and transfigured the napkin into a glass of juice. She had gulped the juice down, before her brain registered the gasp that had come from behind her. Turning around, she saw Professor McGonagall looking at her with a mix of incredulity and awe.

"Miss Malfoy, did you just transfigure that napkin into a beverage?"

Serena paused as she realized belatedly what she had done. Needless to say, she was pretty shocked herself.

"Yes, ma'am, but I don't really know how I did it. It just seemed, I don't know, natural to me."

"Hmm. Well, lets get along to class, and perhaps we can discuss this further. I do believe you have my class first, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am, according to my schedule, its Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs first thing this morning."

The pair walked swiftly to the Transfiguration classroom, and entered just before the bell rang. Professor McGonagall swept to the front of the class, and Serena took the last available seat, which was next to her Merlin House-mate, Violet Zabini, of Hufflepuff. Serena didn't mind, as she and the soft-spoken Violet had known each other for years, due to their fathers' friendship.

"Alright there, Serena?" Violet asked softy.

"Fine, Vi, just something interesting came up. I'll tell you later."

Minerva McGonagall set about instructing the class how to turn their matchsticks into needles. Most of the class struggled, though there was a couple that managed it by their third try, including Violet Zabini. None, though, were as gifted as Serena Malfoy. She managed the simple transfiguration on her first try, though Minerva wasn't really surprised, considering what she had witnessed in the Great Hall. The child made it all look so effortless. An idea flashed into her head about apprentices. Hogwarts had long ago abandoned the apprentice program, as Dark Lord after Dark Lord had risen, the teachers were stretched too thin, trying to teach the children just what they needed to survive, much less being able to take on an apprentice. But now, it had been almost twelve years since the fall of the one who styled himself Lord Voldemort, and there had been no stirrings of evil, and here was a child who desperately needed the extra attention, so that her natural gifts would be allowed to flourish. Minerva resolved to speak to Albus about apprenticing Miss Malfoy to her today after classes.


	4. 4: Stella's First Day DADA

A/N: As a reward for everybody's patience, I am releasing another chapter today. I know, two chapters in one day, it's a miracle! Hey, if I'm feeling particularly generous, you might get a third, possibly fourth chapter today as well. This chapter, as well as the next, is dealing with the remaining half of the chosen ones. Chapter five will bring some Harry/Severus satisfaction. By the way, in case you haven't figured it out—this is SLASH, so if you don't like, don't read.

Chapter 4: Stella's First Day- Defense Against the Dark Arts

Stella Longbottom sat quietly in Potions class, waiting for the bell to ring, and wondering what the infamous Professor Snape was doing to her newfound friend, Lilian. He had seemed so mean to her, commenting about her father, amongst other things. Her deskmate seemed to notice her anxiety, because he leaned over to her.

"Hey, don't worry about Lily. Uncle Severus might've seemed like he was angry, but I could tell he was really impressed with how much she knew. And really, he won't hurt her because of who her dad is. He still l-mmph," Orion Weasley's voice was cut off by a small hand that had clamped over his mouth. With his eyes, he followed that hand to an arm, and then finally back to his sister, who had turned around in her seat to face her twin and Stella.

"Don't finish that thought, Orion Weasley. Remember what Mum and Dad said about us knowing things about the rest of the teachers and their private lives, just because we grew up here?"

"If it's not something the student populace knows in general, then its not to be talked about." Orion echoed his mother perfectly, then went pale with the thought of what he almost revealed. He didn't want to hurt his Uncle Severus; his godfather was one of his heroes.

"Sorry, Stella. My brother can be a bit of a moron sometimes. But he's quite right about Lily. She'll be fine. I think that girl can take care of herself, no matter who her father is or isn't."

"I guess you're right. Its just that my dad told me so many stories about his Potions classes with Professor Snape, and how he was so mean to both my dad and Harry Potter. Dad said it seemed like it was his favorite thing to do—yell at Dad, or take points off of Harry. Then to see him lay into Lily like that, well it seemed like he was starting on the new generation. He automatically seemed to think that Lily was like her Dad, and maybe he'll assume I'm like my Dad too. Even though, I'm not. Everyone tells me, I'm like my mother, without the ditziness."

"Nah, don't worry. He knows now that Lily is nothing like her Dad in Potions, so he'll probably reason that you, too, are different than your father. So what class do you look forward to, since I know now, its not Potions?" Orion asked his Slytherin housemate.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts. Dad and Mum said they really enjoyed the subject, especially after Harry Potter formed the DA. They said that Remus Lupin was the best Defense teacher they ever had, and I saw him this morning at the Head Table. He's going to be teaching us this year, right?"

The twins nodded in unison. "Yeah, Uncle Remus is really great. I wonder if he know about Lily yet, seeing as how his furry little problem left him indisposed last night?" Emma mused.

Just then, Professor Snape swept back into the class, with Lily trailing behind him. Stella looked closely at her new friend, but she didn't seem to be upset or scared. In fact, she was smiling as she walked over to the desk she was sharing with Emma. The bell rang, and as the class gathered their things to leave class, she stole a quick glance at her schedule. Defense Against the Dark Arts was next. The day certainly seemed to be going all right so far. She had survived a double period of Potions, and now had what was sure to be her favorite class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Lupin.

The four students walked through the halls on the way to class, with Stella and Lilian getting plenty of stares and people pointing at them and muttering. Stella supposed she'd have to get used to it, and Lily looked as if she expected it. 'But then, she probably is, considering who her father is.' Stella thought.

They arrived in the DADA classroom, just before the bell rang to begin class. Professor Lupin came into the class from his office and smiled at them all, and proceeded to take attendance.

"Let's see here. You all are the first year Slytherins and Ravenclaws, correct?" Professor Lupin asked.

"Yes, Professor Lupin," the class chanted in unison.

"Last night, I was unable to be at the Welcoming Feast, but I heard a bit about what happened last night, at breakfast this morning. Something about Merlin's House, and heirs to Hogwarts, I believe it was? Well, who is the magical heir to Slytherin and who is heir to Ravenclaw? Please stand and introduce yourselves. I hear based on what is known of the prophecy, we'll probably work together in the future."

Stella glanced at Lily, and saw that the girl really didn't want to draw attention to herself, so she decided to go first.

"My name is Stella Longbottom, and I was told that I am the magical heir of Slytherin House. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance Professor Lupin, and look forward to learning under you. My parents have told me so much about you and I've been looking forward to Defense classes for as long as I can remember."

"Thank you, Miss Longbottom. I, too, am pleased to make your acquaintance, and I am glad to hear about your enthusiasm for my class. Hopefully, you'll still be as enthusiastic, even after I give your homework assignments tonight?" Remus kidded with the bold Slytherin.

"Alright, so who is heir to Ravenclaw? Is it you Miss Weasley?" Remus asked, seeing the direction of the other children's stares.

With that, Lily heaved a sigh, stood, and said, "No sir. I am the magical heir to Ravenclaw. My name is Lilian Grace Potter. I too am honored to make your acquaintance. My father has often spoken of you with fondness. He said you saved his life many times, and that you were the one who taught him the Patronus charm when he was a third year." Lily then got a mischievous look in her eyes that reminded Remus of James Potter at the height of his Marauder days, as she continued speaking. " I hope you don't mind that DADA is not really my thing. I prefer a softly simmering cauldron to dodging Unforgivable curses. My dad says he's done that enough for the both of us."

Lupin was floored as he realized that this child was Harry's daughter. He had wondered what had happened to Harry when he disappeared. Harry was the last part of his original pack and it had hurt when he left. Now, the young man he'd always thought of as his cub had a cub of his own. He definitely was going to question Ron, Hermione, and Severus about this latest development, but now he had a class to teach.

"One of the most important spells a witch or wizard can use to defend themselves is the Disarming Spell. The incantation is 'Expelliarmus' and the wand movement is like so" and he swished his wand through the air gracefully. I am going to divide you into pairs and I want you to practice disarming each other. The only spell out of your mouths should be the one I just taught you. Any others, and you'll have to face the consequences."

Remus paired Stella with Orion Weasley and the two set to work disarming each other. Stella was able to immediately disarm Orion, but it took him four tries before he was even able to make her wand tremble in her hand. She walked over to him and was trying to correct his movements, when out of the corner of her eye she noticed a spell that definitely _wasn't _'Expelliarmus' flying towards Lily and Emma. Without thinking, she raised her arm and threw out a spell she had read about in one of her Dad's old textbooks.

"Protego," she shouted, and a shield formed around her new friends just in time, as the spell bounced off the shield and ricocheted into the wall. A snake landed dazed at the base of the wall. Stella couldn't believe that someone had cast 'Serpensortia', after being specifically told to disarm only. And to cast that spell at fellow students.

Lily and Emma looked over at her gratefully, before Lily calmly walked over to the snake and started hissing at it. The snake looked up at her, hissed something back, and then slithered over to the open window and out of the classroom.

The class was in an uproar. Not only had somebody disobeyed their teacher, but then Stella had cast a highly advanced shield on other classmates, and to top it off, Lily Potter seemed to take after her famous father as a Parselmouth.

Remus couldn't believe the turn his class had taken. He wasn't really surprised that his 'disarm only' warning hadn't been heeded—that happened every year. He wasn't even that surprised that yet another Potter was a Parselmouth—considering her father was Harry, it was almost expected. What was surprising was that a first year student was able to correctly incant, aim, and achieve one of the most complicated forms of the 'Protego' shield—that which protects others, rather than yourself, and he was amazed. He also recalled how the Slytherin girl had instantly picked up on the Disarming Spell.

Remus had been looking to apprentice a student in DADA for a few years, but he never came across a suitable candidate. Until now. He pondered that perhaps Miss Longbottom might be the perfect candidate for apprenticeship. However, he wanted to talk to the Headmaster first, to see if this could any way tie into the Founders' prophecy. He decided to talk to the Headmaster right after classes were done for the day, and then he would talk to the Weasleys and Severus about the young Lilian Potter.

The bell rang to end the class and the students filed out past him. As Lily Potter went by, he thought he saw her hair and eye color change, but when he looked again, she had the same nondescript hair and icy blue eyes as before. He caught a whiff of her scent, though, and his eyes widened. He definitely needed to talk to Severus. 'What in Hell is going on here?' he thought.


	5. 5: Violet's First Day Charms

A/N: Just want to correct a small error I made in my last Author's Note. It will be Chapter **6** that will include Harry/Severus, not chapter 5 as originally stated. My poor brain couldn't handle the simple math last night. Sorry to disappoint. But to make it up, I will have the aforementioned Chapter 6 posted tonight, even if it kills me! Thanks to my reviewers, y'all make me so happy! I get all warm and fuzzy inside, and it makes me want to write more and more, so keep on reviewing! And for the obligatory disclaimer—which will go for all chapters already posted and those yet to be posted---I am not J.K. Rowling, so I obviously do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters or events mentioned in the eight books written thus far, and I am in no form affiliated with Warner Bros., so, again, I have nothing whatsoever to do with any of the four Harry Potter films released so far—aside from enjoying them immensely. That done with—Onward!

Chapter Five: Violet's First Day- Charms

Violet Zabini was still in a daze after the events that took place the previous night. First, she had reunited with her friend Serena Malfoy, then she had met _Harry Potter's_ daughter—who really was just a nice girl, and very down to earth. Violet had expected her to be somewhat of a snob, what with having the Savior of the Wizarding World as her father. She was pleasantly surprised to see that wasn't the case. Then the whole Sorting fiasco, with Merlin House and the prophecy. She was relieved that Serena and Lilian had gotten roped into the whole thing as well. At least she wouldn't be alone.

Now, she was sitting in Transfiguration, watching Serena in awe as she easily transfigured her matchstick into a needle, over and over. Violet, herself, had been able to accomplish the task on her third try, but it definitely took some effort. Serena just made it look so easy. Violet wasn't really fussed though. She had read some of her parents' old schoolbooks and had had the feeling that Transfiguration was going to be a difficult subject and not quite her 'cup of tea'.

Violet was looking forward to the end of Transfiguration and the next class, which would be Charms, with Professor Flitwick. From what her parents had told her, based on their experiences during the War, a well-placed Charm could do just as much damage, if not more, than a hex or curse. Her mum, who had also been a Hufflepuff—the former Hannah Abbott, had said it was because people were expecting the heavy stuff, and didn't defend against things like 'Jelly-Legs', or 'Leg Locker'. Her dad, the sly Slytherin that he was, told her he once was able to use levitation to great effect, and that it had saved his life. Violet knew now, based off the Founders' prophecy, that she was going to play a significant part in whatever was coming, and she wanted to be prepared.

The bell rang to end Transfiguration, and Professor McGonagall dismissed them, after setting an assignment for those not able to complete the Transfiguration of the matchstick. Serena and Violet hurried down the corridor to the Charms classroom, and scampered in with the rest of the first year Gryffindors and Hufflepuff. Violet took a seat in the front of the class, so that she'd be able to see the tiny Professor better, and Serena sat next to her.

"Welcome to Charms class, first years!" Professor Flitwick said. "Today, we are going to work on the Levitation charm. The incantation is 'Wingardium Leviosa' and the wand movement is 'swish and flick'. Everyone please repeat after me: 'Swish and flick'" and he moved his wand in the manner so described.

"Swish and flick" the class intoned as one.

"Marvelous! Now we'll combine the incantation with the movement." Professor Flitwick then levitated a feather onto each desk.

"Practice on the feather, and remember to aim properly!"

Violet picked her wand up off of her desk and eyed the feather for a moment before she started. She decided to practice the movement while saying the incantation in her head first. Her parents had told her horrible stories of when they were first learning spells, and the accidents that resulted. She had no desire to blow up anything on her first day. She'd save that for her first Potions class, Merlin knew she was hopeless at Potions.

Moving her wand in the prescribed 'swish and flick' and mentally chanting 'Wingardium Leviosa', she was completely shocked when her feather gently rose off of her desk and hovered in front of her eyes. Serena looked over at her, confused.

"How did you do that? You didn't even say anything!"

"I don't know! Maybe somebody else's aim was off and they're levitating my feather." She put her hands down on her desk to brace herself as she swiveled around to see who could be responsible for making her feather move. But, as soon as her wand arm went down, so did the feather.

"Violet, its you making it move! Do it again!"

Violet concentrated and did just as she had earlier, and just as before, the feather rose and hovered in between the two girls.

"Wonderful! Look everybody! Miss Zabini's done it! Miss Zabini, if you would please demonstrate for everybody else?"

Violet nodded shakily, and when her feather had settled back on the desk, she once again swished and flicked her wand while mentally chanting 'Wingardium Leviosa'. Of course, the feather once again rose in the air, and Violet decided to try directing it with her wand. She waved her wand slowly through the air, and everybody watched transfixed as her feather gracefully glided around the class, to land at the Professor's feet.

Professor Flitwick was astounded. A first year student had just performed a spell non-verbally? Students at Hogwarts didn't even begin to learn non-verbals until their sixth year, and here he had a first year able to perform a spell on her first try, and non-verbally at that. He almost squealed with delight. Perhaps, this child of prophecy was the one he'd been waiting for to take as an apprentice. He knew he was getting old and he felt that he should retire in the next ten or so years, but didn't want to leave without a suitable replacement. Now, here was this girl. She could be his apprentice, and take over for him when the time was right. He planned to speak with the Headmaster after class was over.

The bell rang, just then, signaling the end of classes for the day. The students gathered up their things and left chattering happily about their first day at Hogwarts, pleased that Professor Flitwick, unlike Professor McGonagall, hadn't assigned any work at all. Filius Flitwick waited until the last student had left his class, then waved his wand to extinguish the torches and shut and locked his door, as he headed towards the Headmaster's office.

He arrived at the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance just as three other teachers did. He cheerfully greeted Severus, Minerva, and Remus, and noted the odd look that Remus was giving to Severus.

Minerva took a look around and noted that her colleagues seemed to be brimming with the same excitement she was. She mentally reviewed what classes her colleagues would have had today, and her eyes widened as she realized that they each had taught two of the Merlin House students today, and she'd be willing to bet her catnip that each had hit upon what she herself did in her first year Transfiguration class.

"I am going to hazard a guess, and assume each of you has also come across a pupil that you feel would make an ideal apprentice? And that student is a member of Merlin House?"

They all looked at each other and nodded. Remus seemed to be shuffling over towards Severus and as his nostrils twitched, his eyes widened.

"Severus," he muttered under his breath, "I need to speak with you after this meeting. Its important."

The former Death Eater nodded his head almost imperceptibly, to acknowledge the werewolf. He then looked at the others. "Well, what are we waiting for?" he snarled.

"Sour Punch Straws," as Minerva spoke the name of the Headmaster's latest obsession with Muggle candy, the gargoyle moved to allow them entrance to the stone staircase.

The four teachers trooped up the stairs, and awaited admittance to the Headmaster's office. Soon they heard the voice of Albus Dumbledore inviting them in.

"Well, what brings four of my finest teachers here today? The students can't possibly have gotten up to too much trouble, already?" his blue eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Albus," Minerva began, "how much do you know about those four students placed into Merlin House?"

"Ah, remarkably little. For the most part, I know only what the hat told me, which I, in turn, relayed to the Hall at the feast. I did look them up in the Book when I returned to my office, but with the exception of one student, there was nothing surprising."

"Which student was that?" Severus bit out, knowing already in his heart who it was.

"Lilian Potter. I was trying to discern who her parents were, but oddly, there seems to be a glitch in the book when it comes to her. It lists her birth date as 5 September 1999, and place of birth as Surrey, but for parents—its blank. Its as if somebody placed a powerful charm on the child to suppress the information. The most that happened was occasionally, the page flickered the name of Harry J. Potter as one of the parents, but not under father's name, but under mother's name. I have as yet, been unable to uncover what is causing the malfunction."

Remus gasped quietly and he shot a quick glance at Severus. His suspicions were almost confirmed by the Headmaster's words and now he just needed to speak to Severus. Lilian carried a hint of Harry's unique scent, as well as Severus's, combined to form her own scent. As a werewolf for almost forty years, he had become quite adept at distinguishing people by their scent, and could also discern who their parents were, if he knew said parents well enough to know their scent. He was almost positive that Lilian was Harry and Severus' daughter.

"But, anyway, that is neither here nor there, as concerns this new prophecy. So, tell me, why do you ask? Did something happen regarding any of these students?" Albus questioned the four teachers.

"Headmaster, since we were just speaking about the Potter child, I'll go first. I would like to apprentice her in Potions. I never thought that any child of Harry Potter's would ever excel in Potions, but I have been proven wrong, beyond a doubt. That child has more skill at Potions than some so-called Masters. It would be criminal in my opinion to let such a skill be unfostered." Severus stated his case, unknowingly giving confirmation to Remus's suspicions.

"Albus, I too, encountered a student worthy of apprenticeship. I'd like to apprentice Serena Malfoy in Transfiguration. She is extremely gifted. This morning at breakfast, before we even had our first class, she transfigured a napkin into a cup of juice, without even blinking an eye or thinking about it." Minerva sat down after her request.

"Oddly enough, Headmaster, I too come to apprentice one of the Merlin students. Stella Longbottom was able to prevent two of her classmates from being attacked by a snake from the 'Serpensortia' spell, by throwing a strong shield around them. I would have said she saved them, but apparently Miss Potter takes after her father as a Parselmouth, and once the snake bounced off the shield and hit the wall, she was able to convince it to leave the classroom through a window. As you know, conjuring a strong shield around yourself can be quite difficult, but to do so around two other people, without batting an eye, well it was nothing short of amazing to see an eleven year old accomplish it." Remus hazarded a glance at Severus as he spoke. The man seemed shaken at the oblique mention of Harry.

Professor Flitwick piped up. "I would ask your permission to apprentice the remaining Merlin House student. She was able to perform 'Wingardium Leviosa' non-verbally on her first try."

The other professors looked around at each other in shock. Each of the four students was extremely gifted in their own way. They all knew how strict each was, and for each to have been impressed by a student was amazing.

"Well, this is very interesting, indeed. The Hat said that the four would prevent the next Dark rising, and I think, now, it is clear that they will be working together to do so. It appears, each is strong in her own right, but together, they will be a most formidable foe. I think it wise to apprentice each right away. Hogwarts has never had an eleven year old as an apprentice, nor has it ever had four at one time, but I think this is necessary. At this time, I am inclined to set these stipulations. The girls will not live with the mentors, as is usually the case, as Hogwarts and the Founders obviously intended for them to live in Merlin House or the tower would never have been created for them. However, they also will remain affiliated with their current Houses. I have no desire for these four children to be even more segregated. However, we will supply them with the traditional apprentice robes for the skill they are apprenticing in, and they will wear their House crest on their robes.

"Each girl will still need to know at least the basics of the other fields. To that end, each will still attend Herbology classes with their Houses, and when they are third year, they can pick what other disciplines they'd like to study. As for the other core classes, I'll leave it to you four to work out a time when you can swap students to tutor them in your field. I also do not want these children burnt out. They are still children, and I do not think their parents would forgive us for turning them into soldiers. They will be allowed free time to do whatever children their age like to do, be it flying or reading, or whatever. Do you all agree?"

The four professors nodded as one.

"Excellent, now I'd like to call the students up here, and we'll do up the contracts, and send them on their way to their parents. Since they are not the traditional age of an apprentice, which is to say they have not yet reached their majority, we are required to obtain parental consent."

The four professors' heads snapped up at that. Each was thinking about the parents of one particular apprentice. How would Lilian Potter's father react?

Three of the professors were trying to determine who her mother was.

One professor was dreading the fireworks bound to occur when Lilian's fathers met again.


	6. 6: The Parents are Informed

A/N: Well, here it is. The long (or maybe not so long, depending on how you look at it) awaited chapter six. Time for some Harry/Sev bits! This chapter will hopefully explain a bit of the back-story that people have been asking me about.

Chapter Six: The Parents are Informed

Harry Potter stood in his kitchen, sipping a cup of tea, as he stared out the window, searching the skies. He outwardly resembled the perfect picture of calm and collected, but inwardly was a bundle of nerves. He hadn't slept well the night before, and he was getting more nervous by the minute. His reason was one familiar to all parents sending their child off for the first time. His little girl, his Lily, had gone off to Hogwarts yesterday, and he had yet to hear from her.

On one level, he wasn't terribly surprised. His daughter, while one of the most intelligent people he knew, was also a bit flighty, so for her to forget to send him a letter last night was not out of the realm of possibility. It was that thought which had allowed him to get even the little bit of sleep he had, last night. On the other hand, she knew how worried he'd been, and Lily was always very perceptive when it came to him. He couldn't help but wonder if something had happened to his baby girl.

As these thoughts zoomed through his mind, his emerald eyes spotted a familiar shape on the horizon. It was Artemis, Lily's owl. Sighing with relief, he opened the window to let his daughter's familiar in. The owl swooped in, and perched in her spot on the back of what was usually Lily's chair. Harry went over to the owl and untied the scroll attached. He quickly read his daughter's missive, and couldn't help but feel there was something she was leaving out. He knew his daughter very well, and something about the tone of her letter was off, like she was trying to hide something from him. He couldn't put his finger on what though.

His eyes teared up at the mention of Ron and Hermione and their twins. He was supposed to be their godfather. Him and Sev...oh Merlin, he'd forgotten Severus would be there. He re-read his daughter's letter where she mentioned his reaction to her name. He supposed the charm he put on Lily to suppress her heritage must've worked, as she didn't mention any type of reaction that would've occurred had the name Potter-Snape, Lilian been read out at the Sorting. Not to mention the fact that his door hadn't been beaten down by an irate Potions Master.

Not that Severus would necessarily have been able to find him. Harry had become a master at hiding in plain sight. He and Lily made their home in a Muggle village just outside of Hogsmeade, and Harry and Lily had often visited the wizarding town for supplies, but had always been under glamourie. Harry was reassured that his daughter was able to keep up her glamour while at school. When she was at home, he'd always had to do it for her, so she wouldn't be caught doing underage magic, even though Harry was pretty sure the wards on his home would have prevented notice by the ministry. Better safe than sorry.

As thoughts of hiding and glamours and Severus ran through his head, he was reminded of why he'd felt it necessary to run from the world and the person he'd loved most.

FLASHBACK...eleven and a half years earlier 

Harry was laying in the Infirmary, recuperating after the Battle to End All Battles, the one that had finally destroyed the snake-faced bastard forever. His hand drifted to his belly as he thought about the child within. He had found out, shortly before the battle, that he was pregnant. Harry hadn't even known that it was possible for a male to be pregnant, but Poppy had gently reminded him that he wasn't just a male, but that he was a wizard, and possibly one of the most powerful in the world. He was so excited, and instantly loved the being growing inside him. This child was a manifestation of the love that he and Severus shared, and to Harry it all seemed like a dream come true.

He had accepted the fact that he wouldn't have children of his own, when he realized that he was attracted to other men. He had decided as long as he had Severus, his life would be perfect. Then, his little miracle came along. Harry couldn't wait to tell Severus, but before he was able to do so, the alarms had rang throughout the old stone castle, signaling Voldemort's presence.

Harry went out to meet his destiny, secure in his love for Severus and his love for their child. In the end, he realized everybody was right. It was his capacity for love that destroyed Tom Riddle. He threw all his love for the two most important people in his life into the 'Avada Kedavra' that he shouted out at the monster in front of him. When it hit, it practically incinerated Voldemort. Harry collapsed then, magically and physically drained. He didn't hear Severus calling his name and didn't realize it was his lover carrying him to the Hospital Wing.

Harry slept for a week, dreaming wonderful dreams of him and Severus and their child. A daughter, he knew it'd be a daughter, from his dreams. He woke up slowly, and gradually his senses returned to him as he picked up sights then sounds from the Wing. With his hand rubbing his belly, he listened to three voices he recognized as his best friends and lover.

"Can you believe, we're having twins? Mum'll be thrilled! At least we'll be able to tell our apart. A boy and a girl!" Ron was so enthused, he was practically bouncing around Hermione's seat.

"Yes, just what Hogwarts needed. Another set of Weasley twins to terrorize the halls." Severus commented dryly.

Hermione looked at her best friend's lover with laughter in her eyes. "Admit it Severus. You are just as excited as we are. After all, you're going to be an uncle of sorts!"

"Yes, all right. I can handle being an uncle, I suppose. Then, when the brat gets fussy or irritating, you can ship them back to their parents." Severus replied.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and laughed. Hermione asked Severus, "But what happens when you and Harry have children?"

"Harry and I have never discussed children, but I'm sure he knows my feelings. I do not now, nor have I ever, wanted children of my own."

The Weasley's quieted. Gently, Hermione asked, "If you've never talked about it, how do you know that he know your feelings? I've heard Harry talking about having a family many times."

"Harry has never mentioned anything of the sort to me, which leads me to believe he understands and has chosen to put our relationship first. If he decides, down the line, that he wants children, I'll tell him in no uncertain terms, my view on the subject. If he still persists, then he's free to go."

None of them heard the quiet gasp or soft sobbing from Harry's bed. They moved out of the Infirmary, once Poppy had completed her prenatal exam of Hermione. Poppy had heard Harry, and she bustled over to him.

"Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry." She tried to comfort the young man, who'd been her most frequent patient.

"He doesn't want her. He doesn't want her!" He sobbed. Then just as quickly as the tears had come, they vanished, and his eyes were filled with the same steely determination, as they were when he met Voldemort on the battlefield. "If he doesn't want her, then he doesn't want me. I'm leaving here."

"Harry, you can't mean that. Perhaps you should talk to him."

"No, Poppy. He disclosed his true feelings. I'll not saddle him with a family he doesn't truly want. I love him too much for that. I ask that you don't tell him either."

"Of course. You know about Healer-Patient confidentiality."

"Thank Merlin for that. Poppy, I know I'm going to need assistance with this pregnancy and birth and I'd like for you to provide that assistance. The catch is, I'm going into hiding, and you can not reveal my location, or the existence of my child to anyone, no matter what."

"Whatever you wish, Harry dear," the Mediwitch replied sadly.

END FLASHBACK 

Harry had tears streaming down his face at the end of the memory. He brushed them aside as he took note of another owl, bearing the crest of Hogwarts, flew into his kitchen. He then noticed that he'd been sitting at the table for several hours and it was late afternoon. He took the letter from the owl and absently passed an owl treat over.

Mr. Harry James Potter 

_Parent of Lilian Grace Potter_

_The Kitchen, Potter Keep_

_Scotland_

His hands shook as he opened the letter. The term 'parent' as opposed to father, had not escaped his notice. He wondered if they knew.

_Mr. Potter,_

_This letter is in regards to your daughter, Lilian G. Potter. It has come to my attention that your daughter possesses some remarkable skill, as I am sure you are aware. A member of my staff has requested permission to apprentice your daughter. As your daughter is under the age of majority, parental consent is required. Our records seem to be incomplete regarding your daughter's parentage, so I was unable to send a letter to her other parent. If you could please advise that parent to meet in my office at 8pm tonight, we can accomplish the contracts and discuss Lilian's apprenticeship. There will be three other couples present as well, with their daughters, as it seems we have an exceptionally talented group of first years this year._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_P.S. Harry, please come, for your daughter's sake. Do not allow her to miss this opportunity. In addition, there are people here most anxious to see you. We've missed you, my boy. Albus_

Harry decided there was nothing for it. Lilian deserved every opportunity to foster her magic, and if Albus felt this was the best way, then Harry wasn't going to stand in her way, even if it meant he had to go to Hogwarts and sign a contract. He glanced at the clock, and saw that he had about an hour and a half to shower and change, and grab a quick bite to eat. He headed off to the shower, wondering if he'd rue the day that he enabled the Keep to be plottable to owls from Hogwarts, for Lily's sake.

At the same time Harry was receiving his letter, Ginevra and Draco Malfoy, Luna and Neville Longbottom, and Hannah and Blaise Zabini were reading similar letters. The other three couples didn't have to think twice before deciding to attend the meeting in the Headmaster's office. They weren't the ones in hiding, after all.

Back at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore had gathered the four girls, and their prospective mentors, and once again explained the conditions of the apprenticeships. He asked each child individually, if they consented. Each girl eagerly jumped at the chance, as he'd suspected they would. When he explained about requiring the parents to sign the contract as well, only Lilian Potter reacted. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, as the twinkling blue eyes, rested on her.

"Young Lilian, we've sent a letter to your father, but our records don't indicate your mother's name. Perhaps you can enlighten us, so we can send her a letter too? It takes permission from both parents to allow this contract."

"What if the other parent is dead?" Lily asked quietly.

"Is your mother deceased?" Albus asked gently.

"No, no..at least I don't think so. I was just asking because there has to be a way around requiring two parents. Obviously, if a parent is deceased, they cannot sign. So, in the same respect, a parent who has never been a part of a child's life, cannot be expected to sign." Lily replied sadly.

Severus was puzzled at the words of his soon-to-be-apprentice. The child didn't know her mother? Surely, if the mother had died in childbirth, Harry would have spoken of her to their daughter.

The clock chimed eight times, and the fireplace started to flare green as person after person flooed into the Headmaster's office. First, the Longbottoms, followed by the Malfoys, and then the Zabinis. But no sign of Harry Potter. Lilian peeped around the crowd of people trying to find her Dad, hoping he'd come, but she couldn't see him. Then a loud crack split the air, and Harry apparated next to Lilian.

The other eleven adults in the room gaped at him. It was supposed to be impossible to apparate into or out of Hogwarts, but apparently the rules didn't apply to Harry Potter.

Harry hugged his daughter quickly before turning around, and smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry, my home is not connected to the Floo network. And I was running a bit behind schedule, and didn't have time to walk here from Hogsmeade."

Severus was the first to recover, and he sneered, "Of course, the Great Harry Potter can't be bothered with the Floo, or walking, not to mention staying in contact with those foolish enough to call themselves friends or family."

Harry's eyes flashed angrily as he took in the sight of his former lover, the man he still loved deeply, if he would admit it to himself. He was about to open his mouth and issue an angry retort, when he saw the hurt shining through Severus's eyes behind the sarcasm. It was that the caused him to keep his mouth shut, and make the decision to talk to Severus in private after this meeting. He glanced around and took in the other familiar faces in the room.

"Minerva, Remus, Filius, Draco, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Hannah, Blaise. Its good to see you all again." He nodded to each in turn, and then faced Albus.

"Albus, I'm sorry. It has been too long" and he hugged the man he thought of as a grandfather.

"Its all right my boy. You're here now, and that's what matters." Albus replied, with tears glistening in his eyes.

"Well, lets get started shall we? This afternoon, these four professors, each in regard to one of the students here, approached me requesting permission to apprentice them. Of course, apprenticeship is a pretty big step, especially when dealing with eleven year olds, so they each explained their reasoning and I must say that I agree. Each child has shown amazing skill beyond their age in different areas. The professors and I were able to come up with some ground rules for the children, and they've agreed, and now we just need you, the parents, to agree."

Harry spoke up, "What sort of ground rules, Albus? I sacrificed my childhood for this world, and then my adulthood so my child could experience everything a child should."

"I agree with Potter." Draco drawled.

"Yes, yes. I thought that you all might have these concerns. The children will remain in their current dormitory, and will not reside with their mentor. They will continue to attend Herbology classes with their House, and when they are in third year, they will attend whatever elective classes they choose. However for the remaining core classes, they will spend a great portion of the day with their mentor. Professors McGonagall, Snape, Lupin, and Flitwick will be working out a schedule to 'swap' apprentices for a short period each day to tutor the others in their specialty. Each child will also be given free time each day to spend doing whatever it is eleven year olds like to do. They will also have the majority of their weekends free, provided they do not have other obligations, such as detention."

The parents of the four girls all laughed as they each remembered performing detention on the weekends.

"Well, it seems satisfactory, but which child is paired with which professor?" Neville asked, praying that it wasn't his daughter with Professor Snape.

"Well, Professor McGonagall has requested to apprentice Serena Malfoy; and Professor Lupin has asked for Stella Longbottom. Professor Flitwick made a request for Violet Zabini, and Professor Snape asked to apprentice Lilian Potter. Is everyone in agreement?"

"I agree with the request to apprentice my daughter to Minerva McGonagall" Draco and Ginny spoke as one.

"I agree with the request to apprentice my daughter to Filius Flitwick," chanted Hannah and Blaise Zabini.

"I agree with the request to apprentice my daughter to Remus Lupin," answered Neville and Luna Longbottom.

"I agree with the request to apprentice my daughter to Severus Snape," Harry spoke quietly.

With a flourish, four contracts appeared on Albus Dumbledore's desk. In order of parental consent, the groups went up to sign their contracts, which in turn replicated themselves, so that the parents had a copy, the apprentice had one, the mentor had one, and the Headmaster had one. The original was filed automatically with the Ministry.

Finally the only group left was the Potters and Severus. Lily eagerly went up to the desk and signed her name with a flourish. Harry went up much more sedately and carefully signed his name on the line for 'mother'. He handed the quill off to Severus, and quickly went to sit down before the explosion he knew was about to occur.

"Potter, can you not read? You signed the incorrect line." Severus said.

"Its the right line. Please just sign so this can be over with."

"Well, it won't be over with as you put it, until the child's father signs, since you claim to be the mother." Severus snarled out as he signed on the line marked 'mentor'.

"I know that! So bloody well sign the damn thing!" Harry bit out, clenching his teeth in a barely controlled rage.

Remus knew then, beyond all shadow of doubt, that he was correct. He didn't need to speak to Severus now, he'd had it straight from the horse's mouth. And judging by the looks of the other adults in the room, they too, were catching on.

Lilian was looking from her father to her Professor in confusion. "Daddy, what's going on? Who else is supposed to sign?"

Harry looked up at his daughter, and then at Severus, whose face started to pale even more than usual, before it quickly went mottled with rage.

"Potter, you had better not be inferring what I think you are. So help me Merlin, if this child is mine, and you kept her from me..." Severus was cut off.

"KEPT HER FROM YOU? YOU DIDN'T WANT HER! I HEARD YOU TALKING TO RON AND HERMIONE IN THE INFIRMARY. I HEARD YOU TELL THEM THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT CHILDREN, AND THAT IF I DID, I'D HAVE TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT HURT, HEARING THAT, KNOWING THAT I WAS ALREADY THREE MONTHS PREGNANT WITH YOUR CHILD? IT WAS THEN THAT I MADE MY DECISION TO LEAVE. I COULDN'T RAISE MY CHILD AROUND A MAN WHO DIDN'T WANT HER. I couldn't do it, I just couldn't." Harry's voice trailed off as his tears overcame him.

Lily walked over to her Dad, and climbed on his lap. "Daddy, I love you."

"I love you too, precious. Well, Lily, it looks like the cat is out of the bag. I'm so sorry for not telling you before, baby."

"Its okay. I think I understand. I always thought there was something tragic in your past." She spoke so dramatically, many of the other occupants in the room couldn't help but chuckle.

"Lily, you can take off the glamourie now. We don't need to hide from anyone in this room, now."

Lily concentrated and waved her wand down herself. When she opened her eyes, everybody in the room gasped. Standing there was an almost perfect combination of Harry and Severus. Her hair was thick, like her Dad's, but straight like her father's, the color an inky black she got from both of her parents. Her skin was pale porcelain, with just a hint of natural rosiness in her cheeks. She had her Dad's nose and mouth, but her father's high cheekbones and facial structure. The shape of her eyes was straight from her namesake, but the color, well, it was the color that was truly breathtaking. Her irises seemed to swirl between the brightest emerald green and the darkest onyx. Truly a perfect melting of her parents. She was on the tall side for an eleven year old—ten actually, remembered Severus, she wouldn't turn eleven for another four days. She carried herself with a natural grace that everybody knew came from Severus, having all witnessed how klutzy Harry could be. In short, she was one of the most beautiful people many of them had ever seen.

To Severus though, she was the most beautiful creature, he'd ever seen. And she was his. He couldn't believe he'd been a part of creating this child. She was perfect. He quickly signed the contract again on the line marked 'father', and then swept out of the room, before any of them could see him cry.

**A/N: Whew! That's by far my longest chapter ever, I think! But it felt so good to get it out. Next update probably won't be until next weekend, but hopefully, I'm forgiven with the length of this chapter. How do you think the private meeting with Harry and Sev will go? **


	7. 7: For Him, and For Her

**A/N: See, I told you it would be updated again this weekend. Like a good little writer, I'm keeping my promise. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy. And when you're done, if you could just hit that little review button and drop me a line, that'd be great! Thanks!**

* * *

_**Previously:**_

_To Severus though, she was the most beautiful creature, he'd ever seen. And she was his. He couldn't believe he'd been a part of creating this child. She was perfect. He quickly signed the contract again on the line marked 'father', and then swept out of the room, before any of them could see him cry._

**Chapter Seven: For Him and For Her**

Severus Snape practically flew to his quarters in the dungeon. He had so very many emotions swirling through him, and each seemed straining to break free. Confusion, anger, betrayal, love, joy, surprise—all warred within him for dominance. He whispered the password to his quarters, "Green Eyes", and felt tears prickle his eyes again. He went over to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of firewhiskey. As he drank, he mentally recounted the events in the Headmaster's office.

He recalled Harry's words, about hearing him talk to Ron and Hermione in the infirmary, regarding not wanting children. He searched through his recollection of the conversation. And then he remembered his words to the Weasleys. He hadn't known that Harry had heard that conversation. It was true, that at the time he didn't want children, but it was also true that he and Harry had never discussed the matter. He couldn't believe Harry would just walk out of his life, and not reveal the existence of his child, over just one overheard conversation. It just wasn't like Harry; he didn't give up like that.

Severus knew this for a fact, based on the beginnings of their own relationship. Severus had been reluctant to be involved in a relationship with anyone, much less the Boy-Who-Lived. And he had told Harry this several times, sometimes rather cruelly. But Harry had been persistent, and had never given up. Finally, Severus, had come to realize how much he loved Harry, and the two had settled down into a wonderful partnership. In fact, Severus had been intending to ask Harry to bond with him when he woke up from his coma. But Harry had disappeared, and Severus now knew it was because of something he'd said off the cuff.

Meanwhile, back in the Headmaster's office, Harry was trying to answer as many questions as possible, while trying to edge his way to the door. He needed to speak to Severus. He hadn't missed the emotions that ran through the man's eyes before he stormed out of the office. He knew that he owed Severus a major explanation, and he wanted to get it over with, so he could go back home, and think about what his next step would be.

"Harry James Potter, how could you do that to us? We had all given you up for dead, except for Ron and Hermione, and Severus. They never gave up, always refused to go to any memorials for you. How selfish could you be?" Ginny Weasley-Malfoy ranted at Harry.

Finally, Harry had enough. He had his reasons, damnit, and while everyone was most likely entitled to an explanation, Severus deserved to hear it first. And Harry most certainly would not stand for being yelled at in front of his daughter.

"Ginny, that's enough. I don't want to hear it," He cut her off as she opened her mouth to speak again. "In my opinion, I had a valid reason to act as I did. I believed I was acting in the best interest of my child. That is all the explanation I'm going to give to you now, as I feel there is another person who should hear it first, and hear it from my lips and not from the rumor mill that runs rampant in this place. There are only three people in this room right now that I feel also deserve to hear this from me. Albus, Remus, and Lily, I would like to speak to you each individually, tomorrow, if that is acceptable?"

"Of course, my boy, would you like to stay the evening in the castle? Guest rooms can be provided for you." Albus questioned the young man, whom he'd often thought of as a grandson.

"No, thank you. I need to go home and sort some things out in my head, first. But right now, if you'll all excuse me, I do believe I need to speak to Severus."

Harry walked over to Lily, swept her up in a hug, and twirled her around, before setting her back on her feet. After dropping a kiss on her forehead, he whispered in her ear, "I love you so much, baby girl. I know I owe you an explanation, and I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? I have to go speak with your papa now. I just want you to know, I'm so proud of you. Being selected as an apprentice at eleven is amazing, and I know how high Severus's standards are. I'll see you tomorrow, Lily."

He turned and walked out the door, but not before Lily called out, "I love you, too, Dad. See you tomorrow."

Harry stopped at the bottom of the spiral staircase, and conjured a mirror. He waved his wand down his body, and the glamour he typically wore, was back in place. He didn't want any confrontations in the halls on his way to speak to Severus. He quickly strode through the halls until he reached the familiar portrait guarding the entrance to Severus's quarters. Quarters that they had once shared, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Greetings, Salazar." he hissed in Parseltongue.

"Ah, you have returned young Harry. It has been a long time." Slytherin replied, arching his painted eyebrow, as if demanding an explanation.

"Yes, Salazar. Too long, I'm sure. Could you please tell me the password? I need to speak to Severus." Harry begged the portrait.

"Very well. The password is 'Green Eyes' and you should remove your glamour before you go in. Severus isn't in a very sociable mood at this time, either." Salazar Slytherin warned the young man.

"I know Sal, it's at least partially my fault. Green Eyes." Harry whispered and the door swung open.

Severus snapped his head up as the door to his rooms opened. At first he thought it had to be Albus, but then he felt the familiar tingle of Harry's innate magic.

"What do you want Potter?" he asked bitterly, proud of himself for holding back the sob that threatened to choke his voice.

"I want to talk to you, Severus."

"Trying to assuage your guilty conscience, Potter?" Severus asked Harry snidely.

"No, Severus, my conscience is actually pretty clear on this. Of course, I regret my daughter not knowing her other father, and vice versa, but I stand firm that it was better for her in the end. A child should never feel forced upon her family, just as a person should never be forced to be a part of a family, if that is not what he truly wants." Harry replied in an even tone.

"And how would you know what I truly wanted?"

"Were you not listening in the Headmaster's office?" Harry asked incredulously. "I heard you talking to Ron and Hermione. I heard you tell them that you didn't want children."

"Did you also hear me tell them that we never talked about the concept?" Severus dared to look over at Harry for the first time since he entered the room. He saw confusion cross Harry's face.

"Of course. I heard you tell them, that even if after we talked, I still wanted children, that I was free to go."

"I see. So you decided, after overhearing one single conversation that it was your right to leave. You changed not only your life, but also our daughter's, the Weasleys', and mine. Not to mention all those people foolish enough to consider you friend or family. Do you even know what your disappearance and supposed death did to Lupin? Do you even care, or are you still as selfish as you apparently were the night you left?"

"Well, what was I supposed to do Sev?" Harry cried, unconsciously speaking his own nickname for Severus. "Tell me what I was supposed to think. Put yourself in my place. You've just been told that you're pregnant with the child of a man that you love more than life itself. You can't wait to tell your lover, and start to plan a romantic dinner for that night. You feel so much joy and love that when the Dark Lord dares to attack, not even ten minutes after you leave the infirmary, all you can feel is love coursing through your body, and you call out the curse that finally puts an end to the war you've been fighting practically your whole life. Your legs, nay, your whole body starts to feel like jelly, and you collapse to the ground. You feel the world start to go dark, but you don't really mind, because all you can still think of is love. The love you feel for your partner, and the love you feel for the being that the two of you created.

"Then, you wake up, and gradually as your senses return to you, you hear voices. You know that you shouldn't eavesdrop, that its wrong, but you recognize the voice of your lover and your two best friends. You hear your best friends reveling in the news that they're going to have twins. You lay in bed, smiling to yourself, as you hand drifts down to rub your own belly, knowing that you, too, have a new little one on the way. Then you hear your lover, your partner, the man who you'd die for, say that he doesn't want children, and that you know that. Your hand stops rubbing your belly, and you tilt your head, confused. You don't remember ever talking about children.

"You hear your best friend telling your lover that you've often talked about wanting children, and asking if you'd ever discussed it. You hear your lover answer in the negative, and for a moment, you feel relieved. Surely, now he'll realize his mistake. But you hope in vain, for in the next breath, you hear him reiterate that he's sure you know his feelings, and even if you don't, that if the subject is brought up, he'll lay down the law. You feel the world crashing down around you. In a rush, all your memories of your own childhood come back to you. How you weren't a welcome addition to your aunt and uncle's family, and how they made sure you knew it everyday of your life. How it felt to watch other families, with children who knew that their mummies and daddies loved them. Then you think about your lover.

"You remember how much he had been pushed into in his life. You remember how his father forced him to take the Dark Mark. You remember him telling you how much he hated his father for forcing you to do that. You remember him telling you about asking for sanctuary with Albus Dumbledore. You remember him saying that he could only get protection if he spied on the Dark Lord. You remember him telling you about all the things he was made to do, both as a Death Eater and spy. You remember that he has had precious little choice in his life. You remember him telling you, that the reason he is often so bitter and cruel to other people, is because it's the one thing in his life he's had control over. You remember him telling you how angry and depressed he often became, when he thought about his lack of options.

"Then you remember him as you know him. You remember that he is above all else, an honorable man, and he will do what is expected of him and marry you, even if it's not something he wants. You don't want him to be forced into yet another situation that would make him unhappy. You love him so much. Just as you love the child you are carrying. You know that if you stay, he'll marry you and the two of you will raise your child together. And while that is what you want above everything, you realize, it's not about you. It's about him, and it's about her. You love him too much to have him forced into marriage, and you love her too much to have her raised in a family, where one of her parents will be resentful and angry. You experienced that with your own childhood.

"So, you make the hardest decision you have ever made in your life. You decide to leave. It will be so hard, but you have to be strong. For your daughter, you have to go on. You know that if you keep ties with anyone, eventually the same scenario will play out. You won't allow it. Nobody, except the mediwitch, will know about your daughter. You decide to live and raise your daughter in one of the lesser-known family holdings, a manor house near a muggle village, close to Hogsmeade. You can't bear to be farther away from your love, your life, and true home. And then you do it. You leave everything and everybody that you've ever known and loved behind. All out of the love you have for him, and for her." Harry's voice was hoarse by the end, and the tears were streaming out of his eyes unchecked, as he looked over at the only man he'd ever loved, the father of his child.

Severus had tears coursing down his cheeks as well, as Harry spoke, and as he imagined the picture that Harry painted. He supposed, that he might have done the very same thing that Harry did. In fact, he knew that he would have done it just that way. It had always been that way for him. Fight or flee. He almost always chose to flee. After all, hadn't that been why Harry had to wear him down? But, Harry's instincts had always been to fight, just as he had fought to win Severus's love. Did Harry really love him and care enough about him, to go against his instincts, to not fight with him about this?

He slowly looked over at Harry, who met his eyes unflinchingly. Black onyx searched emerald green, and he found the truth he was looking for. Cautiously, he raised a shaky hand, and gently brushed aside the tears from Harry's face. Harry leaned into the touch and sighed.

"It's getting late, Sev. I need to go home, and think about where I go from here. Would you like to have dinner with Lily and I, tomorrow evening? I've become quite a good cook."

"Yes, Harry, I think I'd like that."

"Good. How about I meet you here about six o'clock tomorrow evening? I should be done talking with the others by then, and then you and Lily, and I can walk to the Keep. It's really not too far, just about half a kilometer outside Hogsmeade." Harry offered with a small smile.

"That sounds agreeable." Severus answered with a small smile of his own.

"Well, until tomorrow then. Don't worry about getting up, I can see myself out." Harry stepped over to Severus, quickly brushed a soft kiss against his cheek, then turned and swiftly left.

Severus waited until he was sure Harry was gone, before he whispered, "You _were_ what I wanted Harry. I wanted us to be a family. You wouldn't have forced me into anything." He walked over to the hidden safe in the wall, entered the combination 073180 and removed the soft velvet pouch in there. He sat back in his chair and emptied the pouch's contents into his palm. Two shining platinum bonding rings gleamed in the firelight. He resolved to let Harry know how he truly felt tomorrow night at dinner. He put the rings back in their pouch, and put the pouch in the pocket of his cloak. He then went to bed, finally falling asleep to thoughts of Harry and the beautiful child that their love had created. He couldn't wait to get to know Lilian.

* * *

**A/N: Well that's all for now kiddies...until the next chapter, which may come out tomorrow. I'm going to try to do at least two chapters a weekend, to make up for not updating during the week---sorry my week is usually extremely busy. Thanks to all who have reviewed so far: **dinkyfairybaby, Tina28, animegurl088, Xelena, DestinyEntwinements, Sarahamanda, KniGhtInwAitiNg, Slytherins Snakes, athenakitty, to be left outside alone. **If I missed anybody, I apologize, it was not intentional! Please keep reviewing! Let me know if anything doesn't make sense, and as long as it doesn't give the plot away, I'll try and explain.**


	8. 8: Conversations

Chapter Eight: Conversations

Harry Potter slowly made his way back to his manor home, his thoughts revolving around the day's events. Did Severus really understand now? Did he want to be a family—really want it? Was it possible that he had maybe wanted it back then as well? Harry wasn't sure of the answers to any of these questions. All he was sure of was that the past eleven and a half years had done nothing to diminish the love that he felt for the Potions Master.

His thoughts turned towards his daughter. Lily hadn't seemed too terribly upset at the revelations in the Headmaster's office. She was truly a blend of both of her fathers, full of Harry's romanticism, combined with a healthy dose of Severus's ability to keep everything on an even keel. He suspected that his conversation with his daughter would probably be one of the easier ones he'd have to face in the coming days.

Harry flashed back to Severus's remark about Remus. Had his disappearance really affected the werewolf that much? Harry knew that he had always considered the man as a second godfather, but hadn't realized that Remus felt the same about him. Out of all the conversations he'd be having, this was likely to be one of the hardest, but probably the most worth it.

Harry finally reached Potter Keep, and prepared himself for bed. His last step was to take a Dreamless Sleep Potion. He needed as much sleep as possible, so that he could be strong and deal with whatever tomorrow might bring.

The next day dawned bright and sunny, and as Harry rolled out of bed, he reflected that the weather was hopefully an omen of how the day would unfold. He quickly showered and got dressed, and hurried to the kitchen to snag a bite to eat before heading to Hogwarts. 'Best to get it all out of the way,' he thought.

So it was about ten o'clock in the morning when Harry strolled through the gates of Hogwarts, and he proceeded up to the Headmaster's office. When he was bid to enter, he made certain to remove his glamour, and sat down in one of the chairs facing the Headmaster.

"Harry, my boy. It is so good to see you alive and well. I admit to having given up hope of ever finding you alive. But here you are, and with a most remarkable daughter! I gather from last night, that she is Severus's, and he was not aware of her?" Albus looked at Harry with twinkling blue eyes that held no trace of censure, just curiosity and concern.

"Yes, Lilian is his daughter. I was going to tell him the night I found out, but that night ended up being the final battle, and then, when I woke up in the infirmary, I overheard Severus telling Ron and Hermione that he didn't want children, and that if I did, I was free to leave.

"Albus, I was eighteen, pregnant, emotionally and physically drained from the battle, and I heard the last words I ever wanted to hear from my lover. I had so many things run through my head in those minutes after I heard them, but first and foremost, were Severus and my child. I couldn't force Sev, not after he'd been forced into so much, and by the same token, I couldn't raise my child in a home where she'd feel unwanted. I admit now, I may have been mistaken in my assumptions, but if I were in the same scenario again, I'd act no differently.

"The only thing I regret about leaving, was not being able to tell my friends and family. If you all knew where I was, the secret of my pregnancy would get back to Severus, and he'd feel honor bound to marry me. Like I told Severus last night, I had to cut all ties."

"I think I understand, child. I wish you would've spoken with me before your departure, but I think I can understand some of your reasoning. I am most pleased with your willingness to have Lilian attend Hogwarts, knowing that the truth would out eventually."

"I couldn't deny her the right to learn magic. I admit, I was afraid that Severus would find out the truth, and he would keep her from me, so I put the heritage suppressing charm on her, and I encouraged her to keep up the glamour that she'd always worn outside of our property. And then, when I received your letter about apprenticeship, it was the same thing. I knew I couldn't let this opportunity pass her by, even though I had a sneaking suspicion who she'd be apprenticed to."

"You mean to say that you knew that it was Severus who'd asked for her, even before the meeting, and you still agreed to come, despite your fears?" Albus was shocked.

"I love my daughter more than anything. We are very close, and I believe that I'd be remiss as a father if I didn't notice what subject she spends almost every waking hour studying!" Harry chuckled ruefully. "I mean, not to mention, who her other father is. It wasn't really that hard to put it together. And, like I said, I'd do anything for her, even apprentice her to Severus, if it's what she truly wanted."

"You have become a fine man, Harry Potter, and any fool can see that you're a wonderful father. You have allayed many of my concerns and questions. I believe that Remus is free this period, if you'd like to go speak with him?"

"Yes, thank you. Also, would it be possible for me to take Lilian home with me tonight? Her birthday will be on Sunday, and I'd like to spend the weekend with her." Harry asked the elder wizard.

"Well, it is highly irregular, but circumstances being what they are, I don't believe it will be a problem. I'll inform Filius of her whereabouts. I believe that the three of you need to spend time as a family, and really get to know one another." Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly, which told Harry that the venerable wizard knew who else was invited to dinner that night.

Shaking his head at Albus's apparent omniscience, Harry walked down the spiral staircase, and headed towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The bell rang to end class as he was halfway there, and the students started pouring out into the corridors. Not wanting to get trampled, Harry quickly got of the way, and hid himself in the shadows against a wall. As he stood there, he caught snatches of the kids' conversations. The older children seemed to be fixated on Quidditch, --'nothing new there,' he thought—something about Merlin House, and a bit about the radical change in appearance in Lilian Potter. Hearing his daughter's name, Harry's ears perked up. It seemed that Lily had decided that since the truth had been 'outed' as it were, last night, she didn't care to be under glamour any longer. She had apparently shown up at breakfast this morning, sporting her natural appearance. Gossip was now running rampant about her parentage. Apparently, many of the children had decided, at first, that she couldn't be Harry Potter's daughter, as she didn't resemble him at all. Now, they had all changed their minds. The students of Hogwarts were now all in agreement, that Harry Potter must be her father, as she looked remarkably like him, and 'oh did you hear that she spoke Parseltongue in Defense class yesterday?'. Now the game was apparently on to see if they could figure out who her other parent was.

Finally, the corridors emptied, and Harry was free to continue on his way to Remus Lupin's office. He knocked on the door, and upon hearing the familiar voice say to 'enter', he went in and walked over to where Remus was sitting.

"Ah, Harry, I wondered when I'd see you." Remus offered with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. No, Remus's eyes were shining with hurt and confusion.

"Oh, Remus, I'm so sorry!" Harry cried, throwing himself at the last living Marauder, the man who not only was the last link to his dead parents and godfather, but who had become something of a father figure himself. Haltingly, Harry choked out the same story he'd told Albus and Severus, interspersed with apology after apology for leaving. During Harry's story, Remus wrapped his arms around the younger man, and gave him as much comfort as he could, while murmuring into Harry's hair that he forgave him. When Harry was done talking, Remus decided a change of subject was needed.

"So Harry, what do you think about the Merlin House thing?"

"What Merlin House thing? You know you're the second person I've heard today talk about a Merlin House. What is it?" Harry asked confused.

"You mean Lilian didn't tell you?" Remus asked, incredulous.

"No, she didn't tell me anything about any Merlin House. All she mentioned in her letter, is how she was Sorted into Ravenclaw, and abut her new friends. Should she have mentioned it to me?"

"Well, yes, she should have. I thought for sure...hmmn...you see Harry, this year's Sorting was quite unusual. Now, I wasn't present due to the full moon, but from what I've been told, the Sorting Hat took its time on a few of the students, and then asked to speak with the Headmaster. The Headmaster then revealed to the Great Hall, a prophecy discovered by the Hogwarts Four when they were founding the school. Apparently, the exact wording was lost to time, but the gist of it concerned four students, who would all arrive at Hogwarts in the same year.

"These four students would be difficult to Sort, because they could fit equally well into any of the four Houses, but none would end up in the House of their fathers. Apparently, these four would be the ones who would keep the Dark from rising again. It was due to this prophecy that the Founders created Merlin House, and hid the tower until the four students should arrive at Hogwarts. They also instructed the Hat to Sort the children into the House that they were the magical heir to..."

"You don't have to go any further, Remus. Let me guess, the four students are Miss Malfoy, Miss Zabini, Miss Longbottom, and my daughter." Harry said flatly.

"Got it in one, Harry. But how did you guess?"

"Wasn't too difficult. They're all the eleven-year old apprentices. Each skilled in a different area, to make a well-rounded force. One each in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. None sorted into the House of their fathers. And, loath though I am to admit it, I know why Lily didn't tell me. She knew how much I detested the burden of my own prophecy, and how I just wanted a normal life for her. She was probably afraid of how I'd react."

"Well, I must say, you're taking this a whole lot calmer than I thought you would." Remus chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I've got other things on my mind right now, and at least Lily's not alone in this. She's got the three other girls, and her parents, not to mention you, Minerva, and Filius, as the other mentors. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a little imp to talk to before dinner tonight."

"Certainly. And Harry?" Remus called out as Harry looked back over his shoulder. "You'll always have me to talk to. Never forget that you're part of my pack. Both you and Lily."

Harry's eyes glistened with tears. "Thanks Remus. That means a lot to me."

Harry left Lupin's office and headed for the Charms classroom, hoping that Filius Flitwick, as his daughter's Head of House, could help him locate her. He knocked on the door sharply after peering in the window to make certain he wasn't interrupting a class.

"Ah, Mister Potter! How nice to see you again! I am very honored to have your daughter as the Ravenclaw representative in Merlin House." The tiny wizard enthused.

"Thank you Filius. Do you by any chance know where my daughter is now? I've gotten permission from the Headmaster to speak with her, and then take her home for the weekend."

"Yes, I received a message about that during lunch. Well, let me see here." Professor Flitwick shuffled some papers around his desk. "Ah, here it is, the first year schedule! This is the last day we're keeping the apprentices in their normal classes. It was decided that it would be less disruptive that way. Starting Monday, they'll be with their mentor most of the day. Let's see...Miss Potter is currently in Transfiguration. It is her last class of the day, and will be over in about forty-five minutes, at four o'clock."

Harry stared at the other wizard in shock. Was it really getting that late? He couldn't believe that so much time had passed. He shook his head and thanked the small professor.

Harry decided to take a walk around the lake to clear his mind before talking to Lily. Despite his words to Remus, he wasn't quite sure he understood Lily keeping the prophecy from him. She had never kept secrets from him before, especially about something this big. It hurt that she'd keep this from him, though, he reckoned, it wasn't like he hadn't been keeping a pretty big secret of his own. He didn't want to make Lily afraid of coming to him in the future, so he decided that he'd keep his conversation with her pretty low key, and let her guide how it went.

He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was about five minutes before the bell was going to ring, so he decided to head back up into the castle to have a little chat with his only child. He walked down to the Transfiguration corridor, and waited outside the door for the class to be dismissed.

When the bell rang, he held the door open for all his daughter's year mates, until he saw her. She recognized him a split-second later, and with a squeal of delight, she ran to him, and threw her arms around his waist.

"Oooh! Dad, you're here!"

"Of course I'm here baby. I told you last night that I would talk to you today."

"Yeah, but I figured you might've forgotten or something."

"Lilian Grace Potter, how many times have I told you how important you are to me? What on earth would make you think I'd forget to talk to you?" Harry asked sternly.

"I dunno, sir. I just thought that since you didn't like talking about it before, and since things were kinda explained yesterday, that you'd decide not to talk about it." Lily mumbled into her father's chest.

"Oh, sweetie, you deserve to hear the truth. And I've a bit of a surprise for you as well. I asked Professor Dumbledore for permission for you to come home for dinner tonight, and stay the weekend for your birthday." Harry carded his fingers through Lily's silky black hair.

"Really?" Lily looked up at her dad, excitement gleaming in her swirling eyes.

"Really and truly! And that's not all. As part of my resolution for you to know the truth, I've decided that means you'll get to know the whole truth, and not just my side of it. I've invited Professor Snape to dinner tonight as well. Are you alright with that?" Harry looked down at his daughter.

"Oh yes, Daddy, I'm very alright with that! I like Professor Snape, he's funny, and he likes Potions just as much as I do. Ooooh, Dad, would you like to see my room?"

"Sure, Lils, I'd love to see _Merlin House_," Harry answered slyly, watching his daughter's face as she realized that he knew.

"Oh, Dad, about that..." Lily started to mumble again.

"Don't worry about it kiddo. Remus told me all about it. I admit that I was a bit hurt that you didn't tell me, but after some reflection, I realized that I hadn't been entirely honest with you either. So, it'd be pretty hypocritical of me to blame you, huh?"

"Thanks for being cool Dad! I really don't think that my prophecy is anywhere as near bad as yours was."

"I agree, and thank Merlin for that!" Harry laughed.

They stopped walking in front of a portrait of the four founders, and Lily quickly gave the password. They walked across the common room, and went into the Ravenclaw room. Harry looked over the room carefully, and had to admit to being a little envious of his daughter, and decided to tease her about it.

"Hey, this isn't fair. I had to defeat the Darkest wizard of the age, on my own, and I still had to share a room with four other blokes. How come you girls get your own rooms?" Harry pouted.

"Ah, Dad, its just the luck of the draw I suppose. You got the lonely prophecy and had to share a room, whereas I get to share a prophecy and have my own room." Lily sighed dramatically and flopped down on her bed.

Harry pulled a chair up over next to the bed. "Alright Lils, for the next half-hour I'm yours. Ask any question you want, and I'll try to answer truthfully."

"Did you love my father?" Lily asked bluntly.

'Well, she's definitely not pulling any punches,' Harry thought wryly.

"Yes, I did. Very much so. I still do in fact. It was because of my love for him and for you that I was able to defeat Voldemort."

"If you still loved him, then why did you leave?"

"Geez, you're not going to make this easy on me are you?" Seeing Lily shake her head, Harry continued.

"Well, it's really complicated, baby, but I overheard your father telling some friends of ours that he didn't want to have children, and that if I wanted kids, then I could find somebody else. That hurt me a lot, because I was already pregnant with you. I guess I could've stood up then and told your father about you, but there's something you have to know about him.

"Your father is an extremely honorable man, and he's been forced into many difficult situations because of his honor. His father used his family honor against him to force him to be a Death Eater. Voldemort forced him to commit unspeakable crimes as a Death Eater. Even Albus Dumbledore forced him into an unenviable position, as a spy against Voldemort.

"Your father once told me that it was because of these forced decisions that he became the bitter man that many people see him as. I knew that if he found out about you, then he'd do the honorable thing, and marry me, even if it wasn't something he really wanted to do. I was afraid that he'd take his resentment of the situation out on you, and I didn't want you to grow up like I did, feeling unwanted and unloved by your own family. Just like I loved him too much to force him into marriage.

"So, I left. Do you understand better?"

"Yes, Dad. Thank you for loving me so much. Umm, Dad, what should I call Professor Snape? It seems kind of silly to call my father Professor."

Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows that he'd been hiding in, almost since the conversation began. "You may call me 'Father' or 'Papa', but not in class."

Harry almost fell out of his seat at the sound of Severus's voice. "Bloody Hell, Sev! You scared me half to death." He glared at his former lover, and then his eyes widened as he realized Severus must've heard some of their conversation.

"How much did you hear?" Harry asked warily.

"Oh, quite a bit, I imagine," Severus answered, not letting on that he'd heard Harry admitting that he still loved him. Hearing that had brought some hope into his heart, maybe he and Harry could work through their issues, and maybe, just maybe the rings now residing in the pocket of his cloak would be used after all.

**A/N: Awww...isn't that sweet? Well, I desperately want Harry and Sev to get back together and with their daughter be a happy family, but I'm trying to be realistic. They have some major issues to work through, first. I think they'll have little moments every now and then, but that'll probably be it for the next couple chapters. Hopefully, by then, they'll have resolved some of their problems and we can put them back together as a happy couple. I think Lily's gonna need them both, here pretty soon...**


	9. 9: Dinner at the Keep

A/N: Okay, okay...I'm sorry! I'm such a complete loser for not updating sooner. It was a combination of writer's block, real life, and plain ole' laziness that kept me from updating. I'll endeavor not to have such a long wait again, but I can't make any promises—my life is about to be extremely busy in the next couple of months. Now...on with the story!

Chapter Nine: Dinner at the Keep

_Previously:_

_Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows that he'd been hiding in, almost since the conversation began. "You may call me 'Father' or 'Papa', but not in class."_

_Harry almost fell out of his seat at the sound of Severus's voice. "Bloody Hell, Sev! You scared me half to death." He glared at his former lover, and then his eyes widened as he realized Severus must've heard some of their conversation._

"_How much did you hear?" Harry asked warily._

"_Oh, quite a bit, I imagine," Severus answered, not letting on that he'd heard Harry admitting that he still loved him. Hearing that had brought some hope into his heart, maybe he and Harry could work through their issues, and maybe, just maybe the rings now residing in the pocket of his cloak would be used after all._

Harry decided to let the evasive answer slide by. Merlin knows that after his secret and its subsequent revelation, he wasn't in a position to judge anybody for avoidance. Instead he smiled brightly at Lily, then Sev. "Well, are we all ready to head to the Keep, then?"

"Yes, Dad. I can't wait to see the house! And my room! Oh, I missed it so much!"

Harry chuckled. "Lily, its only been a few days! How can you honestly miss your room, especially when you have your own room here?"

"Its not the same Dad. Honestly!" And Lily shook her head in exasperation. Her Dad could be a complete dunce about things, really.

Harry peered over the top of Lily's head at Severus, and saw that he was just as amused as he was, by their daughter's antics.

"Besides, Dad, I have to show Papa my room! He's never been to the Keep before! Er...has he?" Lily looked uncertainly up at her parents.

Harry could see the emotion swirling in Severus's eyes at hearing Lily call him Papa, so he answered for the both of them. "No, Lily, Papa has never been to Potter Keep. So, you'll get to play the proper hostess all you want—and to real people, instead of your dolls!" Harry teased, remembering when his daughter was five and all the "tea parties" she insisted be held.

"Daddy! That was ages ago! There is no reason to be bringing that up!"

Severus had managed to get his emotion back in check, and decided to enter the conversation.

"On the contrary, Lily, I believe I need to hear all about these sort of things. I am most anxious to learn more about you as a small child."

Harry felt tears prickle in his eyes. It was all his fault that Severus had to hear secondhand about his own daughter growing up. No matter that he had his reasons, no matter how valid they might or might not have been, this was something he'd taken from Sev, something that could in no way be made up for.

He felt a tug on his sleeve, and looked down at his little girl.

"Dad, you need to take down the wards so Papa can get in!" she whispered to him.

Harry started, and looked aroung. Sure enough, they were at the Keep, his feet having worked on automatic pilot to get them there. He hadn't even realized that they'd left Lily's room, much less Hogwarts. Harry shivered, it wasn't like him to lose that much vigilance.

He reached out with his hand to touch the invisible threads of magic that made up the wards on his home, and with his other hand, grasped Severus's. He closed his eyes to visualize the magic and whispered the words that would allow Severus not only entrance to the home for this one evening, but would allow him to return whenever at his leisure.

When he felt that it was done, he dropped the arm he had extended to the wards and went to release Severus's hand, but then he felt Sev squeeze his hand gently. He looked up at his former lover, questioning him silently.

Sev read the unspoken question in Harry's eyes, and said nothing. He merely squeezed Harry's hand a little tighter and stepped through the invisible barrier that had protected what he loved most in the world, for the past twelve years.

They entered the Keep, where Severus was almost immediately pulled away by Lily, eager to give her Papa the Grand Tour.

Harry laughed. "Go on ahead you two, and I'll just finish the dinner I started this morning."

Soon enough, Lily and Sev had returned from the whirlwind tour of the house and Harry had just finished dinner and was laying it out on the table. The three sat down to eat, and the next several minutes passed by in silence broken only by the tinkling of silverware against china.

The silence was broken rather abruptly by the clatter of a fork hitting a plate. Lily had started to fall asleep over her chocolate cake, and had dropped her fork. The sound had made both Harry and Sev jump a foot in the air, but it didn't even disturb Lily. Her head started to droop towards her chest, but then she was swept up by Severus.

He looked to Harry and said, "I'd like to put her to bed, if you don't mind. Perhaps, you can clean up here, and when I'm done we could talk some more?"

Harry nodded his assent, and started gathering the dinner dishes, whilst Severus carried their daughter upstairs to bed...

* * *

A/N: Hopefully, that can tide everyone over for a little bit? Sorry, about it being so short, but at least its something, right? 


	10. 10: After Dinner

Chapter Ten: After Dinner

_Previously:_

_The silence was broken rather abruptly by the clatter of a fork hitting a plate. Lily had started to fall asleep over her chocolate cake, and had dropped her fork. The sound had made both Harry and Sev jump a foot in the air, but it didn't even disturb Lily. Her head started to droop towards her chest, but then she was swept up by Severus._

_He looked to Harry and said, "I'd like to put her to bed, if you don't mind. Perhaps, you can clean up here, and when I'm done we could talk some more?"_

_Harry nodded his assent, and started gathering the dinner dishes, whilst Severus carried their daughter upstairs to bed..._

Severus carried his precious burden quickly up the stairs, and to the room that Lily had proudly shown him earlier. He laid his daughter down on her bed and rummaged through some drawers to find some nightclothes to put her into. He found a set of pajamas decorated, oddly enough, in cauldrons and snitches, and quickly had Lily changed and tucked under the covers. He turned to leave, but then hesitated. Quickly, he turned back around and brushed a soft kiss on Lily's forehead. Severus then turned back to leave the room. Just as he reached the threshold, a small, sleepy voice called out to him, "Good night Papa. I'm really glad you're here. Love you."

"I love you, too, Lily" Severus whispered, as a couple tears traced down his cheeks.

Severus left Lily's room then, and decided to wash his face before meeting back up with Harry. With that done, he headed in the general direction that he recalled the sitting room being in. He walked into the sitting room, and immediately noticed Harry kneeling on the floor in front of a Muggle device that he remembered being called a telly. He watched Harry, unnoticed by the other wizard, who was currently fiddling with another device that appeared to connect to the telly with wires and apparently required one of the shiny discs that Harry was inserting.

"What are you doing Harry?" he questioned.

Harry jumped, startled by Severus's voice. "It's a surprise for you, Sev. I can't bring back Lily's infancy or childhood for you, and nothing can make up for you missing out on so much, but I can give you this. Hopefully, it'll take some of the pain away." Harry spoke with tears glistening in his emerald eyes.

Severus was confused. How could something on the telly take some of his pain away? Then, the television screen flickered to life, and as his eyes took in the images playing across the screen, Severus felt his legs give out, and he collapsed onto the sofa. Harry sat next to him, and Severus reached out and clasped one of Harry's hands in his own. Harry squeezed Severus's hand in remembered pain, as they watched on the screen as Harry gave birth to their daughter, with Poppy Pomfrey attending, and giving Harry encouragement. As they watched the video Harry go through a particularly intense contraction, Severus winced in sympathy. He then looked over at Harry, tears in his eyes, and asked, stumbling, "What...How...?"

"I decided early in my pregnancy that I wanted a video record of the majority of Lily's childhood, so I had already bought the video camera, and had it set up on a tripod to film the birth, since there was nobody else who could hold it. Over the years, I amassed quite a collection of videos, so a few months ago, I had them transferred to DVD. The discs take up much less room. This way, at least, you can see what Lily was like growing up."

"Thank you Harry. This means a lot to me. I, too, had thought I'd never have children, so you can imagine my feelings when I found out that not only did I have a daughter, but I'd missed her entire life so far--"

"Sev, I'm so sorry, but—" Harry interrupted but was quickly cut off by Severus.

"No, Harry, let me get this out. As I was saying, when I found out that I had missed out on my child's life, I was hurt so badly, and I was so angry and bitter at you. I had to leave the Headmaster's office, and go to my rooms to be alone. But you, ever the foolish, reckless Gryffindor, followed me and invited yourself into my quarters. Then you made me sit and listen to your story, and as much as I still hurt, I could begin to see your side. No, it was more than that, because I know that if I had been you, I would've done the same thing. Then, after you left, I realized that as much as you took from me by leaving, you also gifted me with something I hadn't even known I wanted until then. You gave me a daughter, a blend of the two of us, and a beautiful reminder of the love we have for each other. At that point, the only thing missing from making my joy complete, was the aching hole in my heart, wondering what I'd missed, and what I could possibly continue to miss. Like earlier, when you brought up Lily playing hostess with her dolls, all I could think of was, 'How much else have I missed? 1st steps, 1st words, 1st magic...' Then, you go and pull this out of your hat. While it is not the same as having been there, it is more than I ever expected to have. So, thank you Harry. For Lilian, and for loving us both to make such a sacrifice."

Harry looked up at Severus's tear-streaked face, now not more than a few inches from his own, and read the truth in those fathomless black eyes. He saw the sincerity, and what's more, he saw the love in his eyes.

Harry's breath caught in his throat. Severus still loved him? Merlin knows, he still loved Severus, and now he was pretty sure that Severus had heard him tell Lily that. Hadn't he said that she's 'a beautiful reminder of the love that we have for each other'? He opened his mouth to ask, to make certain that he wasn't reading the situation wrong.

Severus allowed all of his emotions to shine in his eyes, as he saw Harry examine him searchingly. He saw the exact moment when Harry read the love in his eyes, and he felt it in his own chest when Harry's breath caught. He watched as realization dawned in those beautiful, sparkling, emerald eyes that he loved so much. He saw Harry start to open his mouth, and he moved quickly to cut off the question forming, hoping he wasn't wrong.

Softly, he brought his mouth down upon Harry's. The kiss started gently, lovingly, and as the seconds ticked by, heat and passion built up in their embrace. Eventually, the kiss had to end, as their need for oxygen surpassed their need for each other.

Their eyes locked, and Severus decided, no knew, in his heart, that it was now or never. He slid off the sofa, and kneeled before Harry, still holding his hand. He slipped his other hand into the pocket of his robe and removed the pouch with the rings.

"Harry, I too, had plans for the night of the Final Battle. Then, when you were comatose, I put off those plans until you woke up. Of course, you know what happened next, but what you don't know, is that I never gave up on you, never stopped loving you. When I saw you again, in Albus's office, I felt all that love again, and after I spoke with you that night, I decided then and there that perhaps I had reason to hope.

"You have now given me so much more than hope. You have given me your love, and you have given me a beautiful daughter. I have just one more thing to ask of you. Would you give me the honor of bonding with me?" He pulled one of the platinum rings from the pouch and held it with a hand trembling from nerves, as he awaited Harry's answer.

Harry could hardly breathe. Everything he had ever wanted was coming true. He paused a bit, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but after a few seconds, when nothing had happened, he said the most natural thing in the world.

"Yes, Severus. Yes! I'd be honored to bond with you, and join my life and magic to yours."

Severus's eyes lit up as he placed the ring on Harry's hand, and he locked eyes with Harry, as Harry withdrew the other ring and placed it on Severus's hand. With tears of joy streaming down both of their faces, their lips met in a searing kiss.

A/N: Sorry, if it seems kind of rushed, but really, as I was reading back through what I'd written previously, it seemed very natural—they'd each already admitted to themselves that they still loved the other, it was just a matter of sharing that confidence. Anyhow, in the next few chapters, the focus'll shift slightly from Harry/Sev/Lily, and onto the other girls, and the dark presence will start to be felt. Stay tuned, and please as always, REVIEW!


	11. 11: Darkness Rising

Chapter Eleven: Darkness Rising

Severus woke up slowly the next morning, feeling strangely warm and contented. The sunlight streaming in the window made him blink and turn his head._ 'Sunlight? Since when is there sunlight in my room?'_ he thought to himself. His eyes then focused on the other person in the bed. It was his Harry, and the events of the night before came rushing back to him. He lifted his left hand entwined with that of his fiancé and admired the rings on each of their hands.

Just as he was about to bend over and brush a kiss on the face of his sleeping partner, a sharp sudden burst of pain jolted through that very same left arm. It was a pain he hadn't felt in many, many years, not since Harry had finally defeated the Dark Lord. He looked over at Harry in and saw his face screwed up in a grimace against an unknown pain, he eyelids twitching rapidly in response to whatever horrors he was unwillingly witnessing.

At first, Severus was inclined to believe Harry was simply having a nightmare, and that the timing of the nightmare and the piercing pain of the Dark Mark were merely coincidental, but then he flashed back to earlier days, when he would be summoned and Harry would have visions of the Death Eater meetings. There was only one way to determine for certain if Harry was experiencing a vision or just a regular nightmare.

With a trembling hand, Severus reached over and brushed the sweaty ebony locks off of Harry's forehead. There, in harsh contrast to the pale skin surrounding it, was the famous scar, and it no longer was faded and silvery. It was now an angry red and seemed to be almost pulsing with malevolent energy. He looked down at his own arm, knowing what he would see, but dreading it just the same. Sure enough, his Dark Mark was once again a harsh black tattoo, clearly defined.

Meanwhile, as Severus was making these horrific discoveries, on what had started out to be a wonderful day, four girls, each snug in their beds—three in Merlin's tower at Hogwarts, one safe in her bed at home---shot straight up in bed, and intoned in an eerily flat voice, "It has begun".

To Be Continued...

Okay--- sorry so short, especially after so long a wait, but this just cried out to be the perfect ending spot for this chapter. And I'll be honest---if I hadn't gotten totally smashed last night, this probably still wouldn't be updated yet—currently, I'm feeling a bit too ill to get out of bed, so I decided to update this story. You can all thank my friend Mike for making me get drunk, thereby allowing me to update today.


	12. 12: What is happening?

A/N: Well, um, I'd like to take this moment to apologize about not updating in a more timely manner. There are some entirely legit reasons, and some reasons that probably aren't worth a penny to a beggar, but there it is. I'd like to say it won't happen again, but I can't promise that, but I can promise that I'll try my best to avoid it happening again. To those of you that have stuck with me since the beginning, I thank you for your patience and support, and to those of you that have joined later in the ride or are just beginning the journey, I thank you as well for any encouragement received and yet to be given. You guys are all the best!! Now……drum roll…..the highly anticipated……and looooong awaited……Chapter Twelve!!!

Chapter Twelve: What is happening?

_Previously: _

_With a trembling hand, Severus reached over and brushed the sweaty ebony locks off of Harry's forehead. There, in harsh contrast to the pale skin surrounding it, was the famous scar, and it no longer was faded and silvery. It was now an angry red and seemed to be almost pulsing with malevolent energy. He looked down at his own arm, knowing what he would see, but dreading it just the same. Sure enough, his Dark Mark was once again a harsh black tattoo, clearly defined._

_Meanwhile, as Severus was making these horrific discoveries, on what had started out to be a wonderful day, four girls, each snug in their beds—three in Merlin's tower at Hogwarts, one safe in her bed at home---shot straight up in bed, and intoned in an eerily flat voice, "It has begun"._

SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS—SSHPLPS

After that eerie message was emitted, each of the girls woke up, aware that their mission had begun, each a little excited about the adventure they were about to begin, just as each was a little wary of the same.

The three girls at Hogwarts quickly clambered out of bed, and threw on the closest robes to hand, which just happened to be their Apprentice robes, those having been delivered by the house elves in the middle of the night once the requisite tailoring was completed. Serena, Violet, and Stella then threw open their doors and met each other in the Merlin House common room at the same time. As they looked into each other's eyes, they could tell that they had all just experienced the same phenomenon, and no words really needed to be spoken to each other.

"We need to see the Headmaster right away," said Violet. "He must be made aware that a new Dark Lord is beginning an ascent to power. Preparations must be made to begin securing the school, amongst other places."

"I agree with you Vi, but shouldn't we wait for Lily? She's part of this as well…"

Stella Longbottom was cut off by a snowy owl gliding into the room, a little scroll of parchment attached to its leg.

Serena reached over to untie the letter. She opened it and confirmed for the rest that it was in fact from Lily, and then began to read it aloud.

_Serena, Vi, and Stella,_

_It is beginning again. I had an interesting vision, which I am assuming you three experienced as well. I am preparing to return to Hogwarts very soon. I just need to tell my Dad and my Papa what happened. I imagine, knowing their past experiences with this sort of thing, that they'll want to be in on everything—especially my Dad, he can be a bit overprotective at times. As soon as we return to the school, we all definitely need to see the Headmaster, and the Minister of Magic will probably need to be called in as well to hear what we have to say. Plans need to be made, and they need to be gone over and over to make sure nothing gets left out. Well, we can discuss it more in a bit. Right now, I need to get dressed and go tell my Dad and Papa. Daddy is going to freak!! And darn it, this is right before my birthday---that's not fair!! Whoever this new Dark Idiot is, he or she is gonna regret messing up my first birthday ever with my Dad AND my Papa. _

_Tata for now,_

_Lily G. Potter-Snape_

_Hey, I like how that looks!!  L.G.PS_

After the letter was finished, the other girls looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

"I wonder if she'll even need us at all," laughed Serena, shaking her head at the mental image of her new friend laying into the Dark Lord/Lady, for messing with her birthday.

"I know what you mean," shuddered Stella. "The notorious Snape temper combined with the infamous Potter recklessness. Scary, that is. Very scary."

SMSLVZLPS---SMSLVZLPS---SMSLVZLPS---SMSLVZLPS---SMSLVZLPS

Earlier at Potter Keep… 

After Lily shook herself fully awake from her vision, she quickly threw on a dressing gown, called her owl, Artemis, to her, and quickly scratched out a brief missive to her fellow Merlin House-mates, which upon completion, she sent off with the beautiful snowy owl to Hogwarts.

With that taken care of, Lily then stormed off in the direction of her Dad's room, only to be taken quite by surprise by what she found when she opened the door.

There was her Dad in the bed, nothing unusual there. What was unusual, was the fact that her dad wasn't alone in the bed. Her papa was there as well, holding her dad, and rubbing circles on his back as he tried to calm him down. It was then that Lily noticed that her dad's scar was an angry red and swollen with some sort of malevolent energy. Lily knew then that she didn't even have to tell her parents that something was wrong. They already knew.

Severus looked up at Lily as she came in the room, and he saw the determined expression on her face, and could read in her beautiful eyes the knowledge that had somehow been imparted to her in her pre-dawn dreaming, and he could no longer even attempt to pretend that nothing was happening. The Dark was arising again, somehow, someway. His Dark Mark, Harry's scar and vision, and his daughter-the new child of prophecy- all confirmed that the peaceful life the wizarding world had enjoyed for almost a dozen years was coming to an end.

"We need to go to Hogwarts," all three spoke simultaneously. When they realized what they'd done a nervous chuckle escaped Harry and Sev, while Lily, giggled. Lily left the room to allow her parents to get dressed—Merlin knows, she definitely did not to see THAT—and she went downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat, and to tell the house elves to begin packing some of their belongings to go to the school. She was joined shortly thereafter by her parents, who after breaking their own fasts, went to their daughter and enveloped her in three-way hug. In the blink of an eye, the newfound family was in the Headmaster's office of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

TBC…..


	13. 13: The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Thirteen: The Calm Before the Storm

_Previously:_

_"We need to go to Hogwarts," all three spoke simultaneously. When they realized what they'd done a nervous chuckle escaped Harry and Sev, while Lily, giggled. Lily left the room to allow her parents to get dressed—Merlin knows, she definitely did not to see THAT—and she went downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat, and to tell the house elves to begin packing some of their belongings to go to the school. She was joined shortly thereafter by her parents, who after breaking their own fasts, went to their daughter and enveloped her in three-way hug. In the blink of an eye, the newfound family was in the Headmaster's office of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

After arriving in the Headmaster's office, the family of three took a quick look around. Serena, Violet, and Stella were already there waiting for them, as was the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. The elder man's nightclothes were bright enough to wake up anyone who was still half-asleep, but the perpetual twinkle was missing from his icy blue eyes. Harry took all of this in with one glance around the room before he let out a sigh and collapsed in the nearest empty chair.

"So, its really happening...does anyone here have any idea who might be behind this?" he asked.

At this, all the adults in the room turned to the four young apprentices. The girls shared a look between themselves and then Lily spoke up.

"No, Daddy. But this will not be an instance of history repeating itself. We are going to be prepared to fight whatever is coming. The four Houses of Hogwarts will stand united as they have not been since the time of the Founders. We believe that the evil coming is necessary to restore our school back to the original dream of the Founders. It is quite probable that they themselves believed the same, hence the secret creation of Merlin House."

The other girls nodded their heads in agreement as their self-appointed spokesperson talked.

Meanwhile, all Severus, Harry, and Albus could do was gape at each other. They were both shocked and impressed, not only at the words and confident tone coming from an eleven year old, but also that the information seems to have passed between the girls with nothing more than a glance. Albus, however, was the first to shake himself out of his stupor.

We will do our best to make sure that all of you are prepared for your destiny. Is there anything that you require at present?"

Another glance between the youngsters and Stella spoke up.

"We would like our mentors and parents to be gathered, so that we may explain all at once."

"Very well," Albus replied. "Severus, could you and Harry be so kind as to go awaken Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Lupin, whilst I contact the other children's parents?"

Severus and Harry nodded silently in compliance, and quickly left the office, but not before Harry stopped to sweep his only child in a quick bear hug. Releasing her, he followed his lover outside the office.

Once outside the office, Severus stopped and looked over the younger man. Harry, he could tell, was just barely holding himself together. Having something to do would be good for him, as he wouldn't feel so helpless. He braced his hands on Harry's shoulders and forced his chin up, so that the could see the beautiful verdant eyes, shimmering with tears as they were.

"Harry, could you go to Lupin and tell him? Also, even though the Headmaster did not mention them, I believe Ron and Hermione should be brought into this, if only to give moral support."

Harry looked up at his love and agreed. After a passionate, but quick, kiss, they parted ways in the corridor, Severus headed towards Minerva's quarters, Harry headed towards Remus's.

A/N//dodges rotten fruits and veggies// Sorry about the short chappie, but I was really feeling guilty about not updating in a long while, and the Muse was just generous enough to let this little bit through. I'm not going to explain my other reasons for not updating sooner, if you're that concerned, check out my livejournal page referenced in my author's profile. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope the next update comes much quicker.


	14. Adoption

Okay…I may have to admit defeat. As much as I hate to do this, I may have to put this story up for adoption. It kills me to have to do this, but I really want this story finished, and if it is left up to me, I don't see it being done anytime in the near future. However, I am not wanting to throw in the towel completely, especially considering how much of myself I put into this story. If there is anybody wanting to continue this story, send me a message, and we can work together on getting this done. I would like to be the beta reader for the story, so that I can communicate ideas and also make sure the writing style is similar enough that the story flow won't be interrupted. I would prefer somebody who has completed a story before, as that person will know what they're getting into—unlike me! I apologize to all my readers and anyone/everyone who has been waiting so patiently for an update and encouraging me these past several years. I can't believe I started this story over three years ago! Unfortunately, my health has taken a severe decline over the past few months, and I don't have the energy to continue just now. I may at some point be in a better position to 'take the helm' again, but that is something I would work out with whomever takes over. I'll close this out with a prayer that somebody contacts me so that this story can be finished, and that you, the reader, continue reading with the new author. Remember, I will still be a part of this!!


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